The Akwa Ibom State Police Command on Monday paraded 63 suspected political thugs including suspects arrested in connection with the pre-election violence in Obot-Akara local Government area where two persons were killed and thirteen vehicles burnt on Saturday.
The suspects were allegedly hired from Bayelsa, Delta and Ondo States.
Recovered from the suspects are one locally-made short gun, 25 live cartridges, two machetes, charms of different types, a knife, phones and human hairs and two axes, PCVs were some of the items recovered from the suspects.
State police commissioner, Bashir Makama while parading the suspects at the state police command, Uyo, said a total of 41 of them who claimed to be observers on monitoring mission for the election were arrested on Friday, February 15th at Angellyne hotel in Uyo, without INEC identification number and could not give proper identity of themselves.
Makama who was represented at the briefing by the Command’s Public Relations Officer, Odiko Macdon, said 20 other suspects were arrested on the same day, February 15th at Ukanafun Local Government Area.
The CP said the suspects were allegedly brought in from Port Harcourt, Rivers State by one Uduak Dick, on the pretext of attending the burial ceremony of a Lance Corporal in the Nigerian Army, one Udo Essien.
Makama said some suspects on February 13th set ablaze INEC office at Eastern Obolo Local Government Area but the timely intervention by the police saved the office and all the materials meant for the election.
The Commissioner added that one Anietie Peters who hails from Mkpat-Enin Local Government Area was arrested on Friday in possession of 34 Permanent Voter Cards while one Ayaya Bassey and Asequo Ebio, arrested from Ikot-Ekpene Local government Area had confessed to bepolitical thugs hired by a politician from Cross River state.
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