Soldiers, on Saturday, arrested the Chairman of Isi-Uzo Local Government, Obiora Obeagu, for allegedly leading armed political thugs to distrupt Governorship and House of Assembly elections in Umuokpara, Eha-Amufu, hometown of the Labour Party Governorship candidate, Chijioke Edeoga.
They were arrested following a distress call made to the security agents. The chairman was locked up and was later released to cast his votes.
There were also reports of ‘fake policemen’ intimidating voters in the area.
Anglican Bishop of Eha-Amufu, Isi-uzo LGA of Enugu State, Rt. Rev. Daniel Olinya, raised the alarm of the presence of suspected fake policemen in the area.
The Bishop told newsmen that he was scared that he had to run for his life.
“A particular party is suppressing voters there at Umuokpara, Umuhu, Eha-amufu.
“The place is very rowdy and the policemen there could not identify themselves. No Identification Cards. All they show you are their caps. Most of them were putting on slippers, they were not putting on uniform.
“I had to leave the place in a hurry. The place was charged and the people are being intimidated.
“There is need to reach the authorities because the situation is not safe for voting.”
In Nsukka, security agents arrested 140 thugs allegedly deployed to cause trouble during the elections.
The hoodlums were arrested at the popular Carollina Hotel.
Soldiers, who acted on a tip-off, searched the suspects and found AK-47 and pump action rifles on them.
According to Dave Okanya, at least 10 of the thugs, who were brought in from Kogi State, escaped from the hotel.
At INEC office Nsukka, three hoodlums were also arrested. Sources said they were all armed with weapons including AK-47 rifles and they confessed to have been deployed by the chairman of a local government.
In Aninri, less than 24 hours to the commencement of the elections, a prominent member of a political party in Aninri Local Government area (names withheld), reportedly took delivery of heavily unknown gunmen and housed them in the local Government secretariat on Friday evening
A native of the area who spoke on condition of anonymity alleged that the gunmen were used to intimidate voters who showed sympathy to candidates of rival political parties.
Last week, security operatives arrested armed men at Igbo-Eze North LGA. A few days ago, armed thugs were also arrested at Ikem in Isi-Uzo LGA. In both cases, chairmen of the local governments were implicated.
