VIDEO | SARS, Civil Defence cart away election materials in Rivers, shoot sporadically as two feared dead

Two persons have been feared dead as serious gunfight erupt at Luawii community area in Tai LGA,

SARS/Civil Defence Corps snatching electoral materials in Gokana LGA. When people tried to chase they opened fire. #RiversRerun pic.twitter.com/f70v8bdJ9C
— 20.10.2020 (@I_Am_Ilemona) December 10, 2016

SARS invade polling unit, kill voter

Suspected members of the Special Anti-Robbery Squad, SARS, have allegedly invaded a polling unit in Bodo, Gokana LGA of Rivers state where they shot sporadically in the air before carting away election materials. Reports also indicated that a voter was killed in the process while others were earlier on ordered to lie down by the hoodlums in SARS uniforms.

#RiversRerun : picture of man shot dead by men of SARS emerges… pic.twitter.com/KDEz122RUc
— REPORT AFRIQUE International (@reportafrique) December 10, 2016

Gokana violence

*PDP, APC agents commend INEC, peaceful election

Agents of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and All Progressives Congress (APC), in Ward 8 Unit 1, Rumumasi, Obio/Akpor Local Government Area, Rivers, have commended INEC for peaceful rerun election in the area.

The agents, who spoke at the polling unit, said that INEC had proved its readiness to conduct a free and fair election in the area.

*Amaechi, security team go after hoodlum who hijacked electoral materials

Some gunmen have invaded unit 16 in Ubima ward 8, Ikwerre Local Government Area of Rivers State, the home of Chibuike Amaechi and hijacked electoral material.

The unidentified gunmen led by a man simply identified as Presido, shot severally to scare voters before carting away all the electoral materials at the unit, just after Sir Celestine Omehia has concluded voting.

Meanwhile, Chibuike Amaechi has led a team of security in search of the hoodlums. The situation has caused tension in the area.

Don’t come with money to polling units or… – Police tell voters

The Nigerian police in Rivers on Saturday warned voters not to come with money to polling units to guard against such money being used to influence voters. The police equally commenced Stop and Search operation on vehicles plying various roads in Obio/Akpor Local Government Area of the state.

*Breaking: INEC cancels election in Ward 9 over violence, material snatching

Reports not yet confirmed indicated that INEC has canceled the election in ward 9 unit 3 of Ogu/Bolo LGA over election violence and material snatching. Some party supporters had carted away result sheets in the unit, raising accusation between APC and PDP claiming the other masterminded the illegal acts.

Also, violence reportedly broke out at St. Pius College, Bodo community, Gokana LGA while operatives of the Special Anti-robbery Squad (SARS) were reported to have clashed with youths of Beera community in Gokana LGA.

*Panic as original result sheet misses at Amaechi’s unit

There is panic at unit 14 ward 8, Ubima community, Ikwerre Local Government Area of Rivers State, the unit of the Transportation Minister, Hon. Chibuike Amaechi, as it has been discovered that Form EC8A is missing.

Election has been suspended. This was discovered after Amaechi had visited.

The Presiding Officer Siminore Oshinokho said the form was misplaced. This caused panic leading to manhandling of a journalist.

He said he has contacted the EO to send it.

*Rivers re-run polls: Party supporters protest, accuse INEC of bias

Some political party supporters in Ahoada-West council area on Saturday protested against alleged bias by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in the conduct of the legislative rerun elections in Rivers.

The supporters claimed that the election materials sent to polling units were fake and would not be allowed to be used for the exercise.

*Residents embark on clean-up in non-election area

Residents of Elioparanwo community in Obio/Akpor Local Government Area of Rivers observed the re-run legislative election with clean-up exercise.

The community is not affected by the re-run election.

Some residents were seen clearing the drains while others cut grasses to clean their homes and streets.

A resident, Mr Emmanuel Chuku, said he mobilized people in their street to clear the blocked drains, cut over grown grasses and remove piles of garbage’s that littered the area.

“ We decided to do clean-up exercise since our area is not voting. We used the opportunity to mobilize people to join the exercise.

*The polling units in Ogale, Alesa and Aledo in Eleme council areas also witnessed late arrival of voting materials, which affected early commencement of balloting.

*Voting had been stalled in ward 9, unit 3, of Ogu/Bolo, following the activities of suspected hoodlums, who allegedly carted away some polling materials.

Re-run election: Voting begins late in Gokonna, Eleme

Voting did not begin early in various wards and units in Gokanna and Eleme council areas in Rivers.

Voting yet to commence in Ward 9, Unit 3, Ogubolo local government area

1) Accreditation, voting commences
2)Wike deploys drones to monitor elections
3)Two chased, arrested and handcuffed for carting away election materials
3)APC candidate, Magnus Abe carrives polling unit
4)Party supporters accuse INEC of sending fake election materials to some units
5) Late arrival of materials delay voting in some polling units, wards

Rivers election Update: As early as 8.am, voters trooped out en mass across the various polling units in Rivers state to exercise their franchise in the state’s re-run election.

At Tai Local Government Area, both accreditation and voting are ongoing in Nonwa unit 13. Voting has equally commenced at Gokana LGA and the atmosphere is peaceful.

However, as at 10.30am, election materials and INEC Officials were yet to arrive at any of the PUs in OPUOKO/KALAOKO Ward, KHANA LGA.

Also, low turnout of voters has been reported at Alesa in Eleme LGA.

However, Rivers state Governor, Nyesom Wike is alleged to be monitoring the elections with drones. One of the drones is spotted hovering over some polling units while the election process is ongoing.

Voters are casting their votes into sack bags in PU32/11/13/012, Ulakwo Ward, Etche LGA due to lack of ballot boxes from INEC #RiversRerun pic.twitter.com/4wPWsqSYO3
— Situation Room (@SituationRoomNg) December 10, 2016

Also, alleged two APC supporters were claimed to have snatched result sheets at Elele Unit 003 but were chased, overpowered and caught by alleged PDP supporters who then handed the two over to the Police. The suspects are seen in the pictures below handcuffed.