By Ijendu Iheaka
Police on Saturday foiled an attempt by some thugs to snatch ballot boxes at Umueke Ward 7, Unit 004 in Osisioma Local Government Area.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) learnt that the police intercepted the thugs before they could escape with all the ballot boxes.
A senior police officer told NAN, on the condition of anonymity, that his team received a distress call from the polling unit and quickly raced down to the place.
The officer said that their timely response to the call saved the situation, adding that the thugs ran away from the scene on sighting their vehicle.
A Labour Party (LP) agent, Mr Louis Ebere, alleged that the plot was hatched by chieftains of a political party, who felt that they were losing at the unit.
“LP is leading at the unit, so the party chieftains quickly ganged up with thugs to disrupt the exercise and destroy the ballot papers.
“When we saw what was happening, we called for police intervention and when they came, one of the thugs ran away with one of the boxes but the result sheets are intact
“Earlier, the Local Government Youth Chairman in the area came here and shared money to some boys and told them that their party was losing at the unit.
“He encouraged them to do anything they could to disrupt the election,” he said
A NAN reporter covering the election at the unit was also attacked and his cell phone collected by some unidentified thugs.
The cellphone was later recovered by a policewoman deployed in the unit.
NAN reports that security personnel were, however, visibly absent at some polling units in Ukuakpara, Umueke and Umuode, amongst others. (NAN)
