By Lola Idahosa, Kaduna
Police, in Kaduna on Friday fired Gunshots sporadically and dispersed registered voters waiting to collect their Permanent Voters Card (PVC) at INEC office in Kaduna North Local Government area of Kaduna .The crowd reportedly got rowdy,attempting to invade the office.
An eyewitness Mr. Gabriel Okpe of unit Card no. 1, Ibrahim Taiwo road told Newsdiaryonline that problems started around 2pm when attempt was made by registered voters to force open the gate to INEC office to collect their PVC after many hours of effortless waiting.
The source who is also a victim of the of the incident said the old cards collected from registered voters numbering over two thousands in anticipation for the PVC were not returned till they left the premises.
According to the him , the crowed apparently in frustration,later pushed hard and forced the gate open, when the new PVC was not forthcoming after many hours of unfulfilled expectation.It was this development which triggered the police intervention to scare the people from causing more devastation.
Even though life bullet were allegedly used by the police security, nobody apparently sustained bullet injury as a result of the incident which occurred at INEC office opposite Magajin Gari Divisional Police Headqarters.
It was also learnt that the anxious crowd became large and uncontrollable because registered voters who failed to collect their PVC at the various units level in the LG were advised to converge at the local government headquarters of the commission to collect their cards.
The ensuing confusing created double jeopardy for many who lost their old cards were lost there just as getting their PVCs was unrealizable . The old cards collected from them were seen littered on ground in premises of the commission eye witnesses said.
Several calls and text messages were put to the Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Kaduna Police Command Mr. Aminu lawal, to get the police side of the story was ignored.
