Eighteen National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) members
engaged by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) were last
Saturday kidnapped in the process of conducting the presidential and National
Assembly elections in Akwa Ibom State.
The Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC), Mr. Mike
Igini, disclosed this on Sunday while fielding questions from journalists in
his office.
He said 10 of the corps members were abducted at
Abak Local Government Area (LGA), four corps members kidnapped in Itu LGA; four
other corps members abducted in Ikono LGA while another set of two corps
members were invited to the state Police Command headquarters.
Igini hinted that while some of the kidnapped corps
members had since be rescued following intervention by security operatives,
adding that the two corps members invited to the state police headquarters were
released when he intervened.
Similarly, Igini made further disclosed that in
Uran LGA, a University of Uyo lecturer, Mr. Kufre Etuk, escaped death as he was
badly bartered with his head broken. Kufre
who escaped from the hoodlums reportedly slept in the bush that night until the
following morning when he found his way out.
Also, the REC pointed out that at the federal
collation centre in Ukanafun LGA, there was threat of attack of the INEC
officials but security had to be beefed up to secure the environment and
another enforcement of security dispatched to the Ikot Ekpene collation centre.
He further explained that in Ikono LGA, materials
for 10 out of 11 wards in the area were smashed and destroyed by political
thugs.
According to him, “In places where there are issues
of ballot boxes snatching, there will be no result from those areas. No result
can emanate from any polling unit with issues of stuffing of ballots and
snatching.”
Igini had in a statement to all the Electoral
Officers (EOs) said: “In view of all negative reports of violence, fraudulent
and forceful results, abductions of poll staff, ballot box snatching among
others, due and diligent attention must be given to the filling of Form 40G
series.
“This means that constantly, EOs must insist on
taking all field reports made and captured by the Commission Electoral
Operations Support Centre (EOSC) of snatched results sheets and ballot.
“Study all necessary 40Gs and be mindful not to
issue forms EC 8D (1), EC 8E (1), EC 8D
(II), and EC 8E (II) without taking into reports of all 40Gs.
“No results can emanate from polling units, wards
and LGAs where there had been previous reports of serious violent attacks of
poll officials many of whom are still being rescued particularly corps members
and snatching of results and ballot papers taken to unknown places.
“The integrity of the process leading to a
declaration of results and return must go through due process and laid down
procedure. There are severe consequences under the law for deviation, and so be
guided.”
Meanwhile, the Akwa Ibom State Police Command has
denied knowledge of abduction of any corps members during the conduct of the
election in the state.
The state Police Public Relations Officer, Mr.
Odiko MacDon, said: “I am not aware of any abduction. There was no abduction. I
just spoke with state NYSC coordinator, and there is no report of any corps
members missing anywhere.
“We have not received any report that they were
abducted. While on patrol last Saturday with the Commissioner of Police and
other service chiefs, we saw some corps members who left their duty posts on
the claims that one or two persons were trying to invade their polling unit, we
took them back to continue with their work. No corps member was abducted.”
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