Admin l Wednesday, Wednesday, March 06, 2019
PORT HARCOURT, Nigeria – The 6 Division of the Nigeria Army has again handed over 14 more suspects arrested for various electoral offences in Rivers State during last February 23 presidential and National Assembly polls to the police.
At the ceremony which took place on Tuesday at the Officers Mess in Bori Camp, headquarters of the division in Port Harcourt, Col Aminu Iliyasu, Deputy Director Public Relations said, it is usual for the Nigeria Army to hand over suspects to the police.
“Today, we’re here again to hand over 14 more suspects arrested for various electoral offences during the presidential and national assembly elections in the state to the police for further investigations and possible prosecution.”
Brigadier General Adeola Kalejaiye, Brigade Commander of the Army 6th Division in Port Harcourt who handed over the 14 suspects to Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP) in charge of CID in the state Police Command Victor Onyeugo did not give details of the electoral offences committed by the suspects.
However, our Correspondent gathered that some of the suspects were involved in the violence that erupted in Abonnema, headquarters of Akuku Toru LGA during the presidential and NASS elections in which several people, including a senior Army officer were killed. The suspects whom, we learnt were arrested in Abonnema Town and other parts of the LGA included Tobins Tobins, Victor Sam, John Istifanus and Desmond Friday. Others are Inoma Jim, Alebaka Clifford, Victor Romeo, Divine Sylvester and Omusoye Douglas among others. This is the third time since the conclusion of the presidential and NASS elections in the state that the Army is handing over suspects to the police.
The first was on Tuesday February 26, 2019 when a former Commissioner in Governor Nyesom Wike cabinet and about 12 others, including security operatives and a serving member of the state House of Assembly were handed over to the police.
The second set of suspects, including some youth corps members were paraded and handed over to the police at the same venue last Friday March 1st. Meanwhile, Transportation Minister and former governor of the state, Chibuike Amaechi has denied any connection with the violence that rocked Akuku Toru LGA during the last presidential and NASS polls. He reportedly told Journalists in Abuja on Tuesday that he never left his polling unit after voting on that day.
