No fewer than 150 suspected political thugs arrested in various
parts of the country for election violence will be arraigned in
court this week.
Our reporter learnt that the state police command had been
directed by the acting Inspector-General of Police, Mohammed Adamu,
to file criminal charges against the suspects who were apprehended
for ballot box snatching, assaulting police officers on election
duty, illegal arms possession, impersonation and malicious damage,
amongst others.
Our correspondent learnt the IG had come under pressure from
chieftains of the All Progressives Congress, the Peoples Democratic
Party, government officials and other influential Nigerians not to
press charges against the suspects.
It was gathered that Adamu was said to be miffed by the attacks
on policemen by some of the thugs.
The police last week arrested 128 persons across the country for
various electoral offences and recovered 38 assorted weapons from
them.
They also nabbed five male suspects in Umuahia, Abia State, in
connection with the attack on a Deputy Superintendent of Police who
was on election duty at a collation centre.
Similarly, police operatives on Friday apprehended three
persons, including a House of Representatives’ candidate in Brass
Constituency elections in Bayelsa State, Israel Gioli, for
allegedly masterminding the attack on a Deputy Commissioner of
Police, Kola Okunola in Twon, Brass, last Sunday. The others are
Tamarapreye Victor and Azi Newton, both 34 years old.
Okunola was leading a team providing protection for electoral
officials, voters and materials when he was attacked and molested
by the thugs allegedly led by Gioli.
Consequently, the acting IG has directed the Special Election
Investigation Team to immediately commence the investigation and
prosecution of all those arrested in connection with election
violence in the country.
Confirming the development on Saturday, the Force Public
Relations Officer, ACP Frank Mba, said, “I know that the
prosecution of some of the suspects whose investigation had been
concluded would start next week; they would be charged next week
(this week).”
Read more ig-orders-arraignment-of-150-political-thugs-this-week/