Army Clarifies Arrest Of Rivers SSG, Gives Death Toll In Rivers Poll

The Nigeria Police have confirmed that four people were killed during the re-run elections in Rivers State on Saturday.
The Assistant Inspector General of Police, Zone Six, Calabar, Adisa Bolanta, said four deaths were recorded while 22 persons were arrested during the elections.
Mr. Bolanta disclosed this on Sunday at a joint security news conference in Port Harcourt.
He said the suspects were being interrogated on allegations of criminal or electoral offences.
He said deployments made by the police assisted in reducing election-related offences.

Also, the Commander of 2 Brigade, Nigerian Army, Port Harcourt, Stephenson Olabanji, confirmed the arrest of the Secretary to the Rivers State Government.
Also confirmed to have been arrested is a Special Assistant to the governor.

Mr. Olabanji, a Brigadier General, said both men were arrested in Gokana and Khana Local Government Area on Saturday for allegedly committing electoral offences.
“Many people were arrested yesterday for disrupting the electoral process and the law is not meant for just the lower cadre alone.

“No matter who you are, if you go against the law, you will definitely face the music.
“So, there is nothing like being Secretary to the State Government; many people were arrested as you have been told; a lot of people were arrested,” he said.
Mr. Olabanji denied claims by the state government that some commissioners and other top officials were manhandled by the Army during the re-run elections.
At a separate event, Governor Nyesom Wike said the Peoples Democratic Party, would win Saturday’s re-run legislative elections in the state because it prepared for it.
Mr. Wike told journalists in Port Harcourt that when the elections of the legislators were annulled in December, the party commenced preparations for re-run.
He said that the party began campaigns and started working hard to win the elections because it was on ground.
The governor confirmed that the Secretary to the State Government, Kenneth Kobani, and a Special Assistant, Cyril Wite, were arrested by the Army.
Mr. Wike said the government officials wanted to ensure that election materials were moved to polling units when they were arrested. He said it would be difficult to rig elections in the state because the people would resist the attempt.
According to him, when somebody is not popular and attempts to rig the election, the people will say no to such move.
He alleged that some people were creating problems to make the Federal Government declare a state of emergency in the state.
Mr. Wike said that such ploy would not work, because the PDP was more popular in the state.
He urged the media not to be emotional or sentimental while reporting events in the state, because such stories create wrong impression.


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