RIVERS ELECTION TRIBUNAL: Army Officers Allege Thugs Stole Voting Materials

Some officers of the Nigerian Army on Thursday told the Rivers State Governorship Election Petition Tribunal sitting in Abuja, that armed thugs invaded several polling units in the state during the April 11 elections, and absconded with voting materials.

They said the thugs ran into the bush after forcefully taking possession of the materials Vanguard reports.  “On our arrival at polling units in Osuala, Onuerelu, Omerelu and Alu, we found the INEC ad hoc staff, mainly youth corps members, mercilessly beaten by the thugs”, one of the officers said.

The victims subsequently recounted their traumatic ordeal about how political thugs beat them up and fled with the election materials. 

According to reports, the officers also stated that the voting process in Rivers State was marred by violence and sporadic gun shots by thugs, a situation they said scared voters away.