Metro

How Abuja Resident Uncovered Dumped Sensitive INEC Materials For Gombe, Kwara

Published

3 months ago

March 11, 2023

An Abuja-based middle-aged man, who identified himself as Mustapha, has narrated how he uncovered a heap of Independent National Electoral Commission’s sensitive materials, comprising results and declaration sheets.

Mustapha, who appeared in a viral video obtained by our correspondent, displayed some yet-to-be-filled sensitive materials littered close to the refuse site, around Jikwoyi area in Karu Amac municipality of the Federal Capital Territory.

The PUNCH reports that from the empty declaration of result sheet sighted, no fewer than seven candidates with seven political parties, which include Dogo Bukar, Action Alliance; Nijhu Jonathan, African Democratic Congress; Golkos Gaius All Progressives Congress; Abubakar Ibrahim, New Nigeria Peoples Party; Markus Samuel Peoples Democratic Party; Abdulaziz Saudi Social Democratic Party, and Stephen Nerus, Young Progressives Party, were among those discovered.

Narrating the discovery in a telephone interview, Mustapha told our correspondent that his daughter picked some pieces of paper on her way back from school and, upon scrutiny, he discovered that they were sensitive INEC materials

He disclosed that immediately, he asked his daughter to lead him there but before he arrived at the dump scene, the materials had been picked up by unidentified persons.

He said, “These papers were dumped around Jikwoyi area and it was discovered by my daughter who brought me there on my instruction, having seen pieces of the sensitive materials she picked from her pathway. When I discovered that they were electoral documents for past elections (National Assembly/Presidential), and for the yet-to-be-conducted elections (House of Assembly/Gubernatorial).

“Why I picked interest was when I saw one of the forms bearing Gombe, especially the candidate of Pero Chonge constituency, Markus Samuel. But before we could get there, the heap of documents which was previously dropped in sacks had been moved by unknown persons.”

Mohorret Bigun, Public Affairs Officer in the Gombe INEC office, when contacted, said it was most unlikely for the House of Assembly to be tampered with, stressing that the size of the constituency reduces margin of possible error.

He said, “Well, I can see a duplicate with names of candidates. Someone might have printed that with the aim of using it during the election. However, results are generated from polling units, and for State Assemblies, the Constituency is usually smaller, which reduces the margin of error also. I don’t see anyone just writing results. Who will announce it? Remember, declaring false results attracts a sentence according to the Electoral Act 2022.”
PUNCH

Metro

Tragedy As Man Kills Pregnant Wife In Edo

Published

7 hours ago

June 10, 2023

Editor

A bereaved father, Samuel Adun, has offered to pay N100,000 to anyone with information that can lead to the arrest of his son-in-law, identified simply as Inuaghata.

Inuaghata was alleged to have killed his pregnant wife, Osaretin.

Adun told journalists in Benin on Friday that his daughter had three children for the suspect.

He noted that he was called that his daughter was killed by her husband, adding that Inuaghata had gone into hiding since May 24 when the incident happened.

He said, “I hail from Orhionmwon Local Government Area. My daughter was killed by her husband. She was 23 years old. The incident happened at Egba on May 24.

“I do not understand the problem they had that led to the killing of my daughter. I was called that my daughter was killed. He used a knife to slit her throat; she was pregnant when she was killed. I want the boy arrested.

“I will give anybody N100,000 for information that can lead to the arrest of the suspect. The boy had not formally married my daughter. His parents are both dead. I have called his brother that he ran away after killing my daughter.”

The Edo State Police Public Relations Officer, Chidi Nwabuzor, said the matter had not been brought to his attention.

Metro

Delta: Commuter Dies In Crash, Police Seek Relatives

Published

7 hours ago

June 10, 2023

Editor

The Delta State Police Command has sought help in locating the family members and friends of a commuter killed in a crash in the state.

The deceased, according to the state Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Bright Edafe, was involved in an accident along the Illah-Asaba Expressway by Ngegwu Market.

The accident reportedly involved a Toyota Sienna with the number plate, JRV 398 ZY, driven by one Chima Uzor, who collided with a motorcycle rider.

The PPRO, in a signed statement on Friday, said the corpse was deposited in the St. James Hospital Mortuary, Illah.

The police spokesman urged any person who knew the victim, his parents, friends or other relatives to report at Motorpol Asaba, St. James Hospital Mortuary, Illah, or the police headquarters, Asaba, for possible identification and collection of the body.

Metro

Enugu Varsity Student, Others Arrested For Vandalising Cables

Published

7 hours ago

June 10, 2023

Editor

A suspected vandal, identified as Samuel Umenze, has been arrested for allegedly vandalising cables belonging to the Enugu Electricity Distribution Company Plc.

Umenze, a 100-level student of Agric Extension at the University of Nigeria, Nsukka, was arrested on the school premises by the institution’s security.

He was allegedly caught with large quantities of peeled cables and equipment used for the crime.

The Head of Corporate Communications, EEDC, Mr Emeka Ezeh, in a statement on Friday, said the incident happened on Tuesday.

According to him, Umenze, while confessing to the crime, claimed he carried out the criminal act alone at night and sold his loot to a buyer in Onitsha, Anambra State.

Ezeh confirmed that investigation was already ongoing to arrest the receiver of the items.

In a related development, on Monday, at Oshituma, Ohaukwu Local Government Area, Ebonyi State, three vandal suspects identified as Fleke Kingsley, Egbo Friday, and Okefe Stanley, were also arrested by the community vigilantes.

The suspects were arrested while in possession of three bags containing about six spans of aluminium conductors belonging to the EEDC.

Ezeh lamented the increasing rate at which EEDC facilities were being attacked by vandals and called on customers to remain vigilant and ensure the electricity installations serving them were not attacked by vandals.

He said, “There is no day that passes without a report of a vandalised facility in our network.

“This is inconveniencing our customers and making us deploy the scarce resources meant for other projects into the replacement of the vandalised items, and this is no longer sustainable.

“We should all work together as stakeholders to checkmate this ugly trend.”

Ezeh confirmed that the arrested vandals had been handed over to the police for detailed investigation and possible prosecution.