Killings, violence trail gubernatorial, assembly polls

Former President Goodluck Jonathan rewrote his name in gold when at the height of the tensions building ahead of the 2015 general elections, he said: “My political ambition is not worth the blood of any Nigerian citizen.” His global stature was further enhanced when he not only ‘talked the talk but walked the walk’ by conceding defeat in a historic call to the winner, President Muhammadu Buhari, hours before the official declaration of the election outcome. Four years after, in another round of general election, it is a harvest of killings and violence across the country that trailed last Saturday’s governorship and state Houses of Assembly elections.
Ondo: Police kill two, one fatally injured as govt declares curfew
INEC loses corps member to boat mishap
Two unidentified persons were mistakenly shot dead and another one critically injured on Saturday by police while trying to prevent some thugs loyal to a particular political party from engaging security operatives in a gun duel at Oba Akoko, Akoko South West Local Government Area of Ondo State during the collation of State Assembly election results.

During the attack, three vehicles, including a police van, were vandalised and set ablaze by the thugs while a major beer depot was razed and a nearby police station attacked by irate youth who protested against the wrongful killing of their colleagues.Consequently, the state government shut down Oba Akoko town in Akoko Southwest Local Government Area of the state by declaring a curfew, leading to total restrictions on all human and vehicular movement in the town.

Meanwhile tragedy struck in Ondo as the boats conveying Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) adhoc staff on election duty capsized in Ese-Odo Local Government Area, leading to the death of a National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) member, Okanlawon Ibrahim.

The Guardian gathered that there were eight passengers on board returning from Ward 2 in Agadagba-Obon after the election duty in the riverine area. Ibrahim lost his life while seven other survivors sustained various degrees of injuries. The deputy governor, Agboola Ajayi, who hails from Ese-Odo local council, consoled with the family of the deceased, and facilitated first aid treatment for the survivors at a community health centre.

RIVERS: Lecturer, two others shot at collation centre
A lecturer with the Ken Saro Wiwa Polytechnic and outgoing chairman of Ken Poly Academic Staff Union, Dr. Ferry Gberegbe, and two others were shot in Khana Local Government Area of Rivers State.The Guardian gathered that the lecturer, as well as Mr. Marvin Lezor Kpea-ue, Raymond Ledogo and several others were shot at the INEC Collation Center in Bori, headquarters of Khana Local Government Area yesterday morning by soldiers allegedly led by Commander of the Federal Special Anti-Robbery Squad (FSARS) in Rivers State, Mr. Akin Fakorede.

It was learnt that the F-SARS commander in company of scores of SARS officers and military men allegedly carted away all election materials at the collation center, after shooting the men. Fakorede was said to have stormed the center midway into the collation of results from all the units in Khana with a bag allegedly containing fake election results.

Sequel to this, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the state has called for the immediate arrest and prosecution of Fakorede. The PDP also appealed to the Inspector General of Police, Chief of Army Staff as well as the General Officer Commanding (GOC) 6 Division of the Army, Major General Jamil Sarham, to urgently reprimand all police officers and soldiers involved in the shooting and hijacking of electoral materials at the INEC Collation Center in Bori and other collation centers in the state.

In Akinima, Ahoada West LGA, a young man, Micheal Abedinigo, was allegedly shot dead at the INEC office on Saturday morning. Two men were also shot dead at Luawii community in Khana LGA where many communities were denied the privilege to vote as gunmen incessantly attacked vehicles conveying election materials from INEC office to various polling units.

IMO: PDP agent shot dead
A yet-to-be identified man said to be the party agent of the PDP was shot dead on Saturday by suspected thugs belonging to political rival groups in Umudi Umuwala, Nkwerre local government area of Imo State. The Imo Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Orlando Ikeokwu, confirmed the incident to newsmen in Owerri, adding that he would later provide details of the incident, including the name of the deceased. This is coming hours after the Commissioner of Police, Dazuki Galadanchi, said five fake policemen were arrested in Ideato South local government area. Two soldiers were also arrested for escorting a politician without being assigned for any election duty.

KOGI: Three dead, four injured
The Kogi State Commissioner of Police, Hakeem Busari, has said the command recorded two deaths in the House of Assembly election held on Saturday. Busari confirming the deaths added that there were also widespread allegations of thugs in police uniforms.The elections in Kogi East Senatorial District claimed three lives and left four others battling for life in hospitals across the district. Three persons were also confirmed dead during the presidential and National Assembly election held two weeks ago.

A community leader in Inele, Olamaboro Local Government Area, Mr. Abuh Simon, was shot in the chest by thugs who had earlier snatched ballot boxes from a nearby community of Ugojo-Ubalu. Simon was shot along with two others, James Matthew and John Agada allegedly on the orders of one political appointee but Simon was unlucky to have received the bullets in the chest leading to his death on the spot.

Matthew and Agada survived but had to be rushed to hospital having had their shoulders shattered by the bullets. An eyewitness, ThankGod Onu-Moses, National Chairman, Inele District Development Union (IDDU), narrating the incident said, “Our place, Olamaboro Ward 5, Inele Unit 002 is the collation centre for the ward. The thugs came, shot into the air, violently snatched the ballot boxes from Ugojo-Ubalu unit 004 and came back to Inele unit 002.”

OYO: Fear of reprisal attack grips Ibadan residents over lawmaker’s death as combat- ready soldiers take positions
Palpable tension and fear gripped residents of Ibadan, the Oyo State capital yesterday as they were enveloped in series of news of reprisal attacks over the assassination of Temitope Olatoye, a.k.a. Sugar on Saturday. Sporadic gunshots were heard around Iwo Road, Gbagi, Wema, Alakia-Isebo, Iyana Church, Monatan, which is believed is the stronghold of the late politician. But nobody was seen arrested while heavy security patrol also moved around the affected areas. Olatoye was according to sources shot in the eyes in Lagelu area of the state and later died at the University College Hospital, UCH. The ever -busy Alakia-Isebo, Gbagi-Wema, Iwo Road- Ife Expressway, Monatan-Iyana-Church, Iwo-road-Idi Ape road, Idi-Ape-Agodi-Gate were deserted as residents only peeped from the frontage of their homes.

Since Saturday night when the news broke, residents and family members were sending messages to their loved ones to stay indoors for fear of reprisals. Also, alerts of attack around Iwo-road area in Ibadan went viral on social media that hoodlums have invaded the area. There have also been several death threats across rival groups in Ibadan. The situation forced some Christian worshippers to stay away from their places of worship for fear of being caught in the crisis.

As gathered, some churches located in the heart of Ibadan closed their doors and directed their members to head back home because of the tension. Areas said to witness tension include Iwo road, UCH, Akobo, Ashi, Ojoo among others.Meanwhile, suspected hoodlums yesterday afternoon invaded Moniya motor park, in Akinyele local government fomenting trouble. Traders were forced to close down their shops as people scampered for safety. It was also gathered that Bodija area, Ashi area witnessed attacks in connection with the election.

Ahead of the announcement of the final winner of Saturday’s election, military operatives were seen mounting security checkpoints at Idi-Ape, Agodi-Gate, the road leading to the Agodi Government House among others. Residents, who have business moving around, were seen raising their hands in the hands while vehicles were subjected to serious search by the stern-looking military men.As at the time of filing this report, many commuters were also stranded and walking to and fro their various destinations. Many of the transporters and commercial motorcycles talked to said they decided not to go beyond the streets for the fear of the unknown.

A young man said to a supporter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) was shot dead on Saturday. The victim was reportedly killed by a bullet from the rifle of a police officer in Ile Tutun, Ibadan South East Local Government Area.Eyewitnesses said the young man who was in his early 20s was loudly celebrating the victory of his party when a shot fired by the policeman hit him.The bullet reportedly ruptured his abdominal area and damaged his intestines.The victim, simply identified as Mudasiru, was said to have been rushed to one Kehinde Ege’s house in Ita Ege, for the extraction of the bullets. He, however, died before the bullets were extracted having lost too much blood.

LAGOS: Thugs, police harass The Guardian reporter, force journalist to delete picture, videos of electoral process
About 15 thugs attacked The Guardian reporter on Saturday while discharging his duty at a collation centre situated at the Community Primary, Idimu area of Lagos State. The reporter, while trying to capture protesting corps members who were being owed their allowances, was mobbed by hoodlums claiming to be party agents.

While trying to take some pictures of the scene, thugs descended on the reporter demanding the pictures and videos to be deleted. The thugs carrying planks and metal vowed to break the reporter’s phone if he didn’t delete the pictures. After much argument, the thugs seized the phone.When the reporter approached one of the police officers attached to the centre, hoping to seek refuge from the thugs, he ordered that the reporter be taken to the Idimu Police station, Area M to report the incident stating that journalist are not expected to take pictures at collection centres.

Having identified himself at the Idimu Police Station, The Guardian reporter was harassed by officers at the counter, detained for a few minutes before the intervention of the Divisional Police Officer (DPO), who reiterated that journalists were not expected to take pictures at the collation centres.

Afterwards, he ordered that the journalist be released and ensured that all electoral pictures captured on his phone be deleted by constables at the counter. The DPO threatened that if the journalist was reported again for discharging his duties, he would be locked up in the cell.

Just after the reporter was released at the entrance of the station, two power bike riders were arrested for riding and flouting the restriction on movement. One of the riders who claimed to be a staff of the Lagos State Response Unit (LRU) was turned down despite putting on the reflective jacket of the agency and pleading that he was going on a rescue mission.