The body of Chisom Lennard, a PHD student at the Rivers State University, was riddled with bullets and left in the pool of his own blood along the Ibueahi-Ubeta road in Ahoada-West LGA.
By Emma Ogbuehi
The sad appellation of “Rivers of blood” which Rivers State acquired after the 2019 general election is ringing true again in the 2023 elections.
This is because the blood has not stopped flowing as gunmen have killed the abducted All Progressives Congress (APC) Campaign Coordinator in Ahoada-West Local Government Area of the State, Chisom Lennard.
The gunmen, dressed in police uniform, whisked Lennard away during voting for the Governorship and Assembly elections at Ibagwa polling unit 2 ward 10 in Ahoada West LGA on Saturday.
The APC stalwart was said to have tried to stop the gunmen from snatching electoral materials when they seized and took him away.
Rivers APC Publicity Secretary, Darlington Nwauju confirmed the incident.
Nwauju said: “He was abducted from his unit during the voting process and taking away. Nobody knew where they took him to. It was later in the evening of yesterday (Saturday) that his body was discovered.
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“He was APC LGA Caretaker chairman and was a PHD student at the Rivers State University.”
Lennard’s body was seen riddled with bullets in the pool of his blood along the Ibueahi-Ubeta road in Ahoada-West LGA.
The late APC chieftain was said to be an estate surveyor and a former board member of the Greater Port Harcourt City Development Authority during the tenure of Rotimi Amaechi.
When contacted, the Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Grace Iringe-Koko, said she would find out from the Ahoada Area command.
Nigeria’s 2023 elections have been adjudged by both local and foreign observers as the worst since the return of democracy in 1999.
In Saturday’s election, political thugs, hoodlums and sundry non-state actors were calling the shots without any challenge from state actors.