By Sunny A. David, Onitsha
About ten NYSC corps members escaped death at Akunne Njote, Fegge Ward 7, Onitsha South Local Government Area, Anambra State when youths suspected to be political thugs invaded the place, destroyed ballot papers, poured acid on smart card readers and made away with phones personal belonging of the corps members on election duties.
This was disclosed by the Electoral Officer in charge of Onitsha South Local Government Area, Mr. Olayinka Ohunsheyi who spoke to newsmen at the Council Headquarters Fegge.
He said that apart from Fegge Ward 7 where the hoodlums caused the mayhem, all the other areas in the council area witnessed peaceful election.
Mr. Ogunsheyi said that INEC made their job easy by providing them with all the election materials last Wednesday and they completed distribution to voting centers and polling units, thereby making election to commence as early as 8am on Saturday morning.
Speaking with the leader of the corps members who worked in the ill-fated Ward 7 and pleaded anonymity stated that a total of seventeen phones were collected from them by the hoodlums and they were mercilessly beaten by the hoodlums.
However, at the Onitsha North Local Governments, Area, the Electoral Officer in charge, Mr. Nimel Samuel said distribution of electoral materials were peacefully and smoothly done and election commenced by 8.40.
He said that he provided power generator for the INEC ad hoc staff to charge the card reader to avoid the problems associated with card reader not functioning due to low battery.
When contact, the Divisional Police Officer in charge of Fegge Police Division of the Nigerian Police, Mr. Rabiu Garba (CSP) said he averted what would have been a bloody invasion by political thugs who attacked and dispossessed corps members of their personal belongings.
The thugs were said to have invaded the Ward 7 where money was shared freely by different politicians thereby attracting them to partake, but they were said to have descended on the corps members.
