The 14 Brigade Headquarters of Nigerian Army Ohafia, Abia State on Monday in Umuahia, the capital of the state, handed over to the Abia State Command of Nigerian Police Force 28 persons accused of committing various electoral offences in the just concluded gubernatorial exercise held in the 17 local government areas across the state on Saturday.
The handing over of the suspects believed to be supporters of various political parties to Commissioner of Police represented by an Assistant Commissioner of Police in-charge of Operations, ACP Gabriel Elaigwu was done by the Commanding Officer 14 Brigade, Brigadier General Abubakar Ibrahim at the premises of 145 Battalion Forward Operation Base (FOB) along Mission Hill, Umuahia.
Three Sports Utility vehicles with Registration numbers Lagos SMK 637 FF, Kano KMC 164 SS, Abuja ABJ 246 AA and a commercial tricycle with registration number Imo EKE 431 QB including thumb printed ballot papers, cash and other incriminating electoral materials were part of were handed over to the police as exhibits by the military.
Among the suspects were party leaders of some of the prominent political parties in the state including a 20- year- old cadet of Delta State Marine School who his name as Chibuike Daniel, an indigene of Agbo Emede Ibeku in Umuahia North LGA of the state.
Speaking while handing over the suspects to the police, 14 Brigade Commander, Abubakar disclosed the suspects were arrested in different parts of the state by the brigade’s personnel stationed in different parts of the state during the gubernatorial and State House of Assembly elections in the state.
He disclosed some of the personnel of the security outfit on a tip off stormed a location and made arrest of people who were thumb printing for a candidate of their choice even before the commencement of the actual voting process.
“We found them with already thumb printed ballot papers even before the commencement of the elections. That is why they were arrested.
“Two persons in the second group on an election day dressed in such a manner that when you see them, you will think that they are military personnel and that is why they were arrested, while the suspects in the third group were arrested in the general area of Ovim, Ohafia and Bende.
“We suspected that they are political thugs. Cash and other incriminating items were recovered from them.
“We are handing them over to the police for them to be properly investigated.”
In his response after receiving the suspects, Police Commissioner’s representative, who confirmed the suspects were 28 in number, said they and the vehicles would be kept in the custody of the State Criminal and Investigation Department (SCID) for further investigations.
Elaigwu, who commended the leadership of 14 Brigade and the synergy existing between the sister’s agencies in the state, said that anyone among the suspects, who was found culpable in the course of their investigation, would be arraigned before a court.
He warned youths and politicians against being desperate for power, but to subject themselves to the Will of the people to prevail always.
Some of the suspects, including Chibuike Daniel, Felix Okokwe from Ikwuano LGA, Ofokansi Obioma from Ogwe in Ukwa West LGA, Stephen Adimoranma all denied allegations against them.
