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Enioluwa Adeniyi
Guest
Tension erupted on Saturday at Elekahia Primary School in the Port Harcourt City Local Government Area as armed men dressed in police uniforms launched a violent disruption of the local government elections.
According to Punch, eyewitnesses reported that the men, arriving in approximately 21 Hilux patrol vans, began firing tear gas and seizing election materials, forcing officials of the Rivers State Independent Electoral Commission (RSIEC) and voters to flee for their lives.
The incident unfolded as RSIEC officials prepared to begin accreditation in Ward 19, which comprises ten units. Upon the armed men’s arrival from Elekahia Road, chaos ensued, with RSIEC personnel and voters scrambling for safety as the operatives aggressively chased them away from the entrance.
In a shocking display of intimidation, one armed man confronted an Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) official, demanding, “Come here, remove that vest, what are you doing here?” Other masked operatives followed suit, ordering officials to remove their vests and hand them over while ensuring they confiscated all election materials.
The situation escalated as the armed men fired tear gas canisters directly into the crowd, leading to widespread panic among the residents and voters.
Bystanders at the entrance of Ibe Street in Elekahia were also targeted, as one-armed man discharged another tear gas canister into the area.
As a result of the mayhem, many RSIEC officials, voters, and local residents fled towards Ibe and Boms Streets in a frenzied rush, creating an atmosphere of confusion and fear.
Reports indicate that multiple police patrol vans sped out of the area, carrying away various election materials and exacerbating concerns over the integrity of the electoral process in Rivers State.
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