Niger APC demands release of detained supporters

NIGER State chapter of All Progressives Congress (APC) has demanded for the immediate release of five of its members arrested by the police in Bida, Niger State last week.

   The five party supporters were alleged to have been arrested after informing the police of a suspected vehicle said to be carrying ballot paper.

   APC said that a J5 bus suspected to be carrying ballot papers was intercepted by its supporters in Kateregi along Bida-Minna road and immediately alerted the police, but to their surprise, the informants were later rounded up by the police as suspects.

   Although it was later discovered that contrary to claims by the party supporters, the vehicle was carrying envelopes belonging to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and heading to Minna for delivery by the contractors.

   APC chairman in the state, Mohammed Jibril Imam while calling for the release of the party supporters when he briefed the press in Minna on Monday evening said those arrested only acted out of patriotism by reporting the suspected bus to the police but only to be arrested for no offence committed.

   According to him, if the police could release the driver and the bus after the state INEC Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) confirmed that the content of the vehicle belongs to INEC, their members who got involved in the saga out of patriotism should also be released unconditionally.

   He said, “the questions that remained unanswered were, did INEC transport its materials in private vehicle without even a plate number? How can INEC transport its materials without a police escort?”

   But when contacted, the state police command spokesperson, DSP Ibrahim Gambari said those suspects arrested were nabbed by the police for attempting to take law into their hands by threatening to set the bus, the contents and the bus drivers ablaze.

   He also dismissed the claims by the APC that the bus conveying the INEC envelops has no registration number saying the bus registration number was Katsina AE 354 MLF.