Men of the Nigeria Police Force on Saturday rescued a man who was about to be lynched by a mob in the Owo area of Ondo State.
The unidentified man, who claimed to be an election observer at Ward 4, Polling Unit 15, Shagari Market along the Owo-Benin Highway, was accused of approaching voters to sell their votes when he was reportedly attacked.
The Commissioner of Police in charge of Owo and Ose Local Government Areas, Abutu Yaro, told reporters that the man was captured while his accomplice fled the scene.
Yaro said, “The man was arrested by the mob and the mob was even trying to lynch him, they had already torn his clothes, you can see him looking tattered already.
“Then, we ran into them. That was when they stopped the attempt to lynch him.
“In fact, at the time we picked him, his second, who was in another car, took off.
“The proactive measure adopted by the members of the public was what saved the situation.
“They wanted to mob him because he was there for vote-buying purpose and the voters resisted selling their votes.”
The unidentified man, however, denied the allegation, saying, “I appreciate the police for rescuing me but the police didn’t arrest any other person.
“I was mobbed because I drew the attention of the police to the people there because they were doing what was not right.
“I am not a voter, I am not a party agent, I am observing the election,” he said while refusing to name the organisation he worked for.
Peoples Democratic Party’s Eyitayo Jegede; Governor Rotimi Akeredolu, who is seeking reelection on the platform of the All Progressives Congress; as well as Zenith Labour Party’s Agboola Ajayi, are major contenders in today’s governorship election.
