31 Stolen INEC’s Card Readers Recovered From Rivers’ Bush

* SARs write INEC for detailed investigation

Operatives of the Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) in Rivers
State have recovered 31 Electronic Card Readers (ECRs) believed to
have been stolen from the Independent National Electoral Commission
(INEC).

The SRCs were recovered in a bush on Rumuji-Emohua axis of the
East-West Road in the Southsouth state. They were allegedly thrown
into the bush by thugs who were fleeing to escape arrest.

The thugs were believed to be working for one of the major
political parties.

SARS yesterday notified the Resident Electoral Commissioner
(REC) in Rivers State, Mr. Obo Effanga, seeking for more
information and the cooperation of the commission and its officials
to ensure detailed investigation.

A top official of the SARS in Rivers, told our reporter in
confidence on the telephone that the hoodlums, who drove in a brown
Toyota Camry saloon car around 9am on Saturday, were given a hot
chase by operatives of the squad, making them to escape, after
throwing a bag containing the 31 card readers into the bush.

The SARS chief also revealed that operatives of the police
formation continued to search the bush, leading to the later
discovery and recovery of the 31 stolen card readers, which was
revealed by intelligence as perpetrated by political thugs.

According to the SARS’ top official, the recovered card readers
were still in police custody.

It was also learnt that the hoodlums’ car left Port Harcourt for
communities in Emohua Local Government Area of Rivers to perfect
their rigging plans, unaware of 11th hour postponement of the
Presidential and National Assembly elections.

Rivers SARS, in a letter to the REC of INEC in the state, with
reference number: AR:3000/RVS/SARS/RVS/VOL.8/272, dated February 16
and received/signed yesterday at 8 a.m. by an INEC official,
titled: “Investigation Activities. Re: Stolen and recovered INEC
Card Readers by ASP Monday Mathias and Team,”was signed by Rivers
Commander of SARS, Mr. Akin Fakorede, an Assistant Commissioner of
Police (ACP).

The letter reads: “The above-named detective and team are
serving members of this formation and are investigating a case of
suspected stolen/recovered INEC’s card readers.

“You are kindly requested to assist the team in the course of
the investigation. Attached herewith are the serial numbers of the
INEC’s card readers for ease of reference. Accept the best
assurances of the Rivers State Commissioner of Police (Usman
Belel), please.”

When contacted for his reaction through the telephone at 7:45pm
yesterday, the REC of INEC in Rivers, said: “I am still expecting
the investigating SARS operatives to come to INEC office in Port
Harcourt, for further details.”

The MTN line of the Director of Information and Communications
of Rivers PDP Campaign Council, Emma Okah, who is also the state’s
Commissioner for Information and Communications, was not available
from 7:55pm yesterday.

When contacted at 7:59 p.m. the Rivers PDP’s Publicity
Secretary, Darlington Orji, said he was not aware of the recovered
card readers, “talk less of knowing if they were recovered from PDP
members.”