Polls: Shooting in Rivers, ballot box snatching spread in Kogi

Polls: Shooting in Rivers, ballot box snatching spread in Kogi

Governor Nyesom Wike.

Gunshots were heard at Unit 17, Ward 3, Elele in Rivers State as one Hon. Elechi Dike allegedly led  some men in military uniform to the unit but the gunshots from the soldiers could not deter the voters who resisted the intrusion of the men in military attire.

Mr. Emma Okah, Commissioner for Information in the state accused Hon. Dike of orchestrating violence among a people who have peacefully filed out to perform their civic duties.

Meanwhile, armed thugs shot indiscriminately and tried to snatch ballot boxes  at the polling units opposite Bishop Delisle Catholic Cathedral in Lokoja, the Kogi capital.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports as at the time this report, some hoodlums in fake police and army uniforms were scaring away voters at the polling units.

A staff of the Justice, Development and Peace Commission, Mr Sunday Adwjoh, told NAN that many people from Karaworo Polling Station ran into the church premises for safety.

Adwjoh who spoke on phone said “as we are talking, all of us are lying down to escape being hit by stray bullets.’

Also, at Oke Egbe Polling Unit 01 in Yagba West Local Government Area, a man was shot on the leg when some people invaded the polling unit to snatch ballot box and other materials.

The victim, identified as Mr Tunde Oladipo, was said to have joined hands with others at the polling unit to prevent the armed thugs from snatching the ballot box.

NAN gathered that the invaders were however prevented from going away with the ballot box. (NAN)