Lagos Igbos raise alarm over leader detained with 11 others
By Jeph Ajobaju, Chief Copy Editor
Police have arrested 12 people for alleged electoral offences in Ibashe community in Lagos, among them Igbo community leader Chinedu Mozie who reportedly challenged thugs for not allowing Igbos to vote in governorship and state Assembly elections on March 18.
The Supreme Council of Ndi Eze Igbo in Lagos has raised alarm over the continued detention of Mozie in police custody for insisting on exercising his franchise with other Igbos over which he manhandled by thugs wielding dangerous weapons and was later arrested by the police.
Mozie was among 12 suspects paraded by the police at the State Criminal Investigations and Intelligence Department (SCIID), Panti, Yaba in Lagos.
State police spokesman Benjamin Hundeyin said they were arrested in the Mushin, Ojo, and Aswani axis in Lagos and 114 PVCs, two ballot boxes, one BVAS machine and three ballot papers were recovered from them.
He gave their names as Chisom Kalu, Charity Hannah, Mike Nwokehia, Elizabeth Adenike, Joseph Agada, Sunday Awnunu, Omaji Oyegwra, and Okeke Chinyere.
He disclosed Mozie was arrested on March 18 at about 1.30pm in Ibashe while voting was in progress.
According to him, Uche Chinedu allegedly came to the polling unit in accompany of his men and attempted to carry the ballot box.
This, he added, led to an argument during which Chinedu used an object to injure some people at the polling unit. He was arrested while the victims were hospitalised.
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Disruption of election
Hundeyin said Sunday Awnunu was arrested in Badagry for conduct likely to cause a breach of the peace and for unlawful possession of electoral materials on March 18 at 2.27pm when Awnunu disrupted election at Idale town hall polling unit.
“He was arrested by the police and 16 pieces of electoral papers (specimen) with 19 pieces of designed form that contained names and account numbers at the polling unit,” he explained, according to Vanguard.
“Okeke Chinyere was arrested for unlawful possession of electoral material suspected to be fake, on March 16, 2023, at about 2.20 p.m.
“She was arrested with an INEC identity card (tag) for election duty within Ipaja area of Lagos State and she claimed to have printed the tag from one James Akintola printing office in Ipaja.
“Recovered from him were 16 pieces of electoral papers (specimen), 19 pieces of designed form that contained name and account numbers at the polling unit.”
Hundeyin said during sorting and counting of ballot papers at the polling unit, Omaji Kenneth threatened INEC officials to upload the result while an official complained of poor network.
“In the process, Omaji Oyegwra assaulted the police officer at the polling unit, including the INEC official. The suspects involved in unlawful possession of PVC/diversion of sensitive electoral materials will be handed over to INEC for prosecution.”
Another suspect identified as Animashaun Kabiru, who was arrested in the Sabo area of Lagos, was paraded for unlawful possession of firearms.
