Thugs invade IDP camp in Edo, snatch ballot box

Hoodlums suspected to be political thugs invaded an Internally Displaced Persons (IDP) in Ohogua, Ovia South West local government area of Edo State during the ongoing state house of assembly election.

Eyewitness says few minutes into the election in the area, hoodlums stormed the venue, shot repeatedly, chased voters away from the polling unit and carted away voting materials.

“As the people gathered to vote, gunmen stormed the camp with their vehicles and started to shoot while people ran into the bush for safety. The hoodlums went for the ballot boxes, papers, Bimodal Voters Accreditation System (BVAS) and carried everything away. Many people lost their Permanent Voters Cars in the process,” he said.

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Folorunsho Solomon, the coordinator of the camp, who confirmed the incident, said the election did not hold in the area as a result of the incident and in the process of the invasion, some persons were injured while ballot box were snatched.

Chidi Nwabuzor, spokesperson of the Edo State police command, said the police commissioner has directed the Divisional Police Officer in the area to verify the information and revert to him.

“At the time the commissioner of police and other security agencies visited the polling units in Ovia, the place was relatively calm. By the time the information got to the commissioner, he asked the DPO to verify and give feedback,” Nwabuzor said.