2019 elections: Police recover 179 PVCs, arrest 63 suspects over pre-electoral violence in Akwa Ibom
The Akwa Ibom State Police Command on Monday paraded 63 suspected political thugs who have allegedly perpetrated violence days before the postponed elections and recovered about 179 PVCs in the state.
Some of the suspects, it was gathered, were allegedly hired from Bayelsa, Delta and Ondo States by desperate politicians.
Parading the suspects at a briefing, which was held at the Command’s headquarters, Ikot-Akapana-Abia in Uyo Akwa Ibom State, the state capital, Commissioner of Police, Bashir Makama, said a total of 41 of them, who claimed to be observers on monitoring mission for the election were arrested on Friday, February 15 at Angellyne Hotel in Uyo, without INEC identification number and could not give proper identity of
themselves.
Makama, who was represented at the briefing by the Command’s Public Relations Officer, Odiko Macdon, said 20 other suspects were arrested on the same day, February 15th at Ukanafun Local Government Area.
He said the suspects were allegedly brought in from Port Harcourt, Rivers State by one Uduak Dick, on the pretext of attending the burial ceremony of a Lance Corporal in the Nigerian Army, one Udo Essien.
The Commissioner added that one Anietie Peters who hailed from Mkpat-Enin Local Government Area was arrested on Friday in possession of 34 Permanent Voter Cards while one Ayaya Bassey and Asequo Ebio, were arrested with 149 PVCs and 29 TVCs. The suspect confessed to be political thugs hired by a politician.
He said the Command on February 12 also killed two suspected killers of one Anthony Ikechukwu, a pharmacist who was shot dead by the hoodlums at St. Michael Primary School Abak, Road in Uyo.
The Commissioner, who said the victim’s Lexus SUV with registration number, AKD 850 has been recovered, adding that the suspects were traced to their hideout in Aba, Abia State.
The Commissioner used the occasion to warn politicians in the state to play by the rules and advised their supporters to conduct themselves or risk arrest by the police.
His words, “Let me use this opportunity to call on politicians to play the game based on the rules. Let me assure you that the non-partisan nature of the police in Akwa Ibom State will not change, we will remain apolitical, neutral and committed to free, fair and credible elections. We will at all times act professionally based on International best practices.”
Source:https://samueljackson12.blogspot.com/2019/02/2019-elections-police-recover-179-pvcs.html
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