Akwa Ibom police arrests 10 over alleged destruction of INEC vehicles

The Akwa Ibom State Police Command says it has arrested 10 persons suspected of setting ablaze 11 vehicles of the Independent National Electoral Commission meant for the coming general elections.

The command said the offence was committed at the INEC office in Obot Akara Local Government Area of the state.

The Commissioner of Police, Mr Bashir Makama, disclosed this on Monday while briefing Newsmen on the security situation in the state.

It was gathered that the vehicles were meant to convey election materials from Uyo to  Obot Akara.

Makama, who was represented by the Police Public Relations Officer in the state, DSP Macdon Odiko, said the 10 suspects were arrested on February 15, is the eve of the postponed elections at about 10:05pm.

He explained that the hoodlums during the period macheted and killed one unknown person at the Obot Akara Local Government Area close to INEC office.

“Furthermore, on February 15, 2019, the eve of the 2019 General Elections, at about 10:05pm, hoodlums at Obot Akara Local Government Area, close to INEC office, macheted and killed one person whose identity is unknown, burnt eleven (11) buses and vandalised two.

“The command acted swiftly and arrested ten (10) persons in connection with the crime, and the following exhibits were recovered; two locally made short guns, twenty-five (25) live cartridges, weeds suspected to be marijuana, two machetes, charms of different types.

“Other items recovered include; one knife, one scissor, hot drink, cell phones, dead bird, human hairs and two axes,“ he said.

The CP said that the 10 suspects arrested would be transferred to the Force Criminal Investigation Department for more investigation.

The police commissioner added that on the same February 15, the command apprehended 41 persons at Angeline Hotel opposite Dove International School Uyo, who came from Bayelsa, Delta and Ondo States.

He said that the arrested persons claimed to have come to the state as observers for the rescheduled elections.

He said the 41 arrested persons could not give any proper or reasonable identity of themselves and had no INEC identification tag.

Makama said that more investigation was ongoing to determine their true identity and purpose in the state.

The commissioner added that on February 17, the command apprehended two suspects, who confessed to being political thugs hired from Ukwa village in Odukpani LGA in Cross River by an unidentified politician.

The CP urged politicians to play the game according to the rules and advised supporters to conduct themselves peacefully during the general elections.

(NAN)