Rivers rerun poll: Police officer, orderly beheaded

The 6 Division of the Nigerian Army on Saturday said that a deputy superintendent of Police, Alkali Mohammed, of the Mobile Police Unit 48 was beheaded along with his orderly at Ogba/Egbema/ Ndoni Local Council during Saturday’s bloody Rivers rerun elections.

“The patrol vehicle was taken away with weapons, three policemen escaped while five were missing in action. This is the same area where soldiers of 34 Brigade were ambushed on November 20, 2016 when a soldier was killed,” said
the General Officer Commanding the 6 Division of the Nigerian Army, Major General Kasimu Abdulkarim.

“Also on November 21, 2016, four personnel of Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) were killed and their weapons carted away. These attacks are reasonable evidence of violations of breach of law and order, which portray the area as a flashpoint.

“Despite these barbarism, soldiers acted with civility and professionally guaranteeing peaceful election.”

Abdulkarim said the alleged killing and mass arrest by soldiers in Tai, Ogoni, Gokhna-Ogoni local councils were false. He stated that it was true that soldiers of 6 Division Nigerian Army provided security during the Rivers State Legislative Re-run election, but the allegations made by some respected politicians regarding deep involvement of soldiers during the elections were aimed at tarnishing the positive image of the Army.

“Several shooting were recorded in some communities such as Bodo, the home town of the secretary to the State Government, B-dere and Mogho in Gokhana LGA, including snatching of ballot boxes,” he said.

“He explained that Nigerian Army troops were in no way involved in any form of ballot box snatching, neither were they involved in the escort of politicians as alleged. According to him, the army acted swiftly in response to security breaches in order to enforce the law, provide aid to the Nigeria Police and other security agencies especially in areas like Abonema, Etche, Gokhana, Ikwere, Eleme, Tai, Khana and Omoku, among others.