The Governorship and House of Assembly elections in 12 units in Ukwa in Odukpani Local Government Area of Cross River State were disrupted when hoodlums shot a Police Officer and carted away electoral materials meant for twelve units in Ukwa area of the local government.
The hoodlums numbering over 10 mounted a road block a long a bad spot at Ikot Okon Akiba in Odukpani; local government area of the state.
An eyewitness, who gave his name as Akiba Okon, lamented the attack saying that immediately the INEC vehicle that conveyed the materials and personnel with a police officer attached to the vehicle arrived; the hoodlums alighted from the bush and started shooting sporadically.
“They shot at the police officer at a close range and he slumped, they took his AK 47 gun with unspecified number of bullets away. They ransacked the vehicle and took away all the election materials meant for the 12 units of Ukwa.
“The suspects also seized the phones and cash of the INEC workers including ad-hoc staff and continued shutting and thereafter disappeared into the bush” he stated.
He said the hoodlums were not masked and it was only one Police man that was accompanied the election materials, “The Police man was rushed to the Hospital but I could not ascertain his state of health” he said.
Our findings revealed that the hoodlums smashed the buss that brought the election materials but the driver was able to manage the vehicle to INEC office at Odukpani.
“Immediately that happened, the distribution of materials were stopped abruptly at Odukpani until re-enforcement was send to the area from Calabar to clear the roads’ another source who pleaded that his name should not be mention said.
When DAILY POST contacted the Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Ms Irene Ugbo on Sunday, she confirmed the incident saying that the development was a sad one.
“The incident actually happened and some of the hoodlums have been arrested while the elections materials have been recovered. The AK 47 gun too was also recovered from the suspects,” she stated.
