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Tag: THUGS

  • 2023: Thugs attack EFCC’s election monitoring teams

    2023: Thugs attack EFCC’s election monitoring teams

    The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, (EFCC), says suspected political thugs attacked its team of operatives who were monitoring the ongoing Presidential and National Assembly elections in Bwari Area council of FCT.

    The commission, in a statement on its social media pages, said the operatives were attacked near the chief’s palace in Bwari.

    It stated that the attack was sequel to the arrest of a man for allegedly masterminding a well-orchestrated vote-buying procedure at the polling unit situated at Science Primary School, Bwari.

    “The team had arrested the suspect, said to be about 30 years old, and retrieved from him a list of beneficiaries he had already paid some money to, through an online banking app.

    “It was at the point of moving the suspect away from the polling unit that the thugs attacked, smashing the windshield of the commission’s patrol van.”

    It stated that after its operative responded by releasing warning shots, the thugs retreated into their hideouts before members of the Joint Task Force team comprising the Department of State Services, the Nigeria Police, and others, arrived at the scene.

    The anti-graft agency stated that the incident had been reported at the Bwari Police Station.

    In a related development, another team of EFCC’s operatives “on election monitoring duty at Unit 001, Mann Primary School behind Cherubim junction was shot at by gunmen persons in two black Prado SUV’s and one white Hilux outside the polling unit, suspected to be buying votes.

    The EFCC team responded, forcing them to flee the scene. The incident was formally reported to DCP Operations, Haruna Femi, at the Imo State Police Command.”

  • 2023 elections: INEC loses 8 BVAS to thugs, recovers 3

    2023 elections: INEC loses 8 BVAS to thugs, recovers 3

    The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) says eight of its Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) were snatched by thugs in Delta and Katsina States in the ongoing presidential and National Assembly elections.

    INEC Chairman, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, disclosed this while briefing newsmen on the ongoing general elections on Saturday in Abuja.

    He, however said that the snatched BVAS were immediately replaced for the election to continue, while three were later recovered by security agencies.

    “Based on the reports we have received from our offices, there have been some challenges in the process.

    “One of the challenges is the inability of the commission in some locations to open the polling units at 8:30 am.

    “Some of the reasons for this include the perennial problem of logistics in spite of our best efforts.

    “Generally speaking, we have delivered hundreds of ballot papers and result sheets that we were supposed to deliver.

    “For instance, we couldn’t deploy early in Alawa in Shiroro LGA of Niger State because bandits launched an attack, not necessarily on INEC officials, within the area.

    “So, on the advice of security agencies we tarried awhile and I’m happy to say that we are able to deploy, and voting in that location is ongoing as we speak.“

    Yakubu said that similarly in Oshimili local government area of Delta, thugs attacked polling units during which two BVAS machines were lost.

    “Again, determined that election must continue, we were able to replace the stolen machines, restore security and voting continued in that location.

    “Similarly, in Safana LG area of Katsina state, thugs attacked one voting location and snatched six of our BVAS machines.

    “But again, we were able to use the spare BVAS machines and restore security for voting to continue.

    “The security agencies have recovered three BVAS machines, but three are still held by the thugs.

    “In these locations, the target of attacks were the BVAS machines. It is no longer the ballot boxes,” Yakubu siad.

    On the functionality of BVAS, the INEC chairman said that the device has been performing optimally.

    “So far so good; generally speaking, the BVAS deployed nationwide for the first time has been functioning optimally in most parts of the country.

    “We are hearing less complaints about the functionality of the BVAS.”

    He linked the inability to commence election at 8.30am in some polling units to perennial problem of logistics and insecurity.

    Yakubu, however, assured Nigerians that no voter would be disenfranchised because of that.

    “Based on the reports that are received from the various states of the federation and our office in the Federal Capital Territory, some challenges were identified.

    “One of which is the inability of the commission in a number of places to open the poll units at the appointment of 8:30am.

    “Some of the polling units opened late, but in line with our policy any Nigerian on the queue will have the opportunity to vote no matter how long it takes, until the last on the queue before 2.30pm votes, no matter how long it takes.”

    Yakubu added that the perennial problem of logistics and security challenges also led to late commencement of voting in some places

    He said that the security challenges include thugs attack in Delta and Katsina states and banditry in Niger.

    He said there were also unfolding situations in Abia and Imo states.

    “In Abia, the deployment is taking place late to the polling units.

    “The commission is aware and we are assuring voters in Abia that no matter how late we deploy to the polling units, if voters are on the queue before 2:30pm, they will vote no matter how long it takes.

    “We are also aware of the situation in Imo, in respect of four LGAs — Okigwe, Oguta, Osu, and Olu.

    “There were issues in all 11 wards in the whole of Osu. In the whole of Orlu, six wards out of 11. In the case of Okigwe, five wards out of 11. In the case of Oguta, it is more widespread,” Yakubu added.

    Yakubu said that he had a discussion with the Inspector-General of Police and the military to escort INEC officials to all four locations.

    “I take it that voting would have commenced in some of these difficult places.

    “But if it doesn’t, I will assure voters in those locations that elections will hold and they will not be disenfranchised.”

    Yakubu said that INEC have been observing and receiving reports on the election nationwide and was determined to ensure that the elections held are credible.

    He said that the commission would continue to brief Nigerians on the elections, until the collation of results commenced.

  • We know those who planted killings in Rivers – Wike alleges

    We know those who planted killings in Rivers – Wike alleges

    Governor Nyesom Wike of Rivers State has alleged that everyone is aware of those who planted killings in the state.

    Responding to claims of sending thugs to attack supporters of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar in Rivers, Wike described the allegations as cheap blackmail.

    The governor said he has never been involved in any act of political violence.

    Speaking in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, he said: “Some people are saying we sent thugs to attack them. You see, when people see failure, they will begin to plan excuses.

    “Instead of you to tell your principal, this will be difficult for me, you are giving excuses.”

    He cautioned the political class against any attempt to plunge the state into chaos.

    “Anybody who knows me know, that I have never been violent. If I am violent, I won’t go to court.

    “But we know those who planted killings in this State when they were Secretary to government. We know them, but that killing will not happen again in the State.

    “We will not give you the opportunity to try it again,” he said.

  • Video: Thugs attack, stone Atiku Abubakar’s convoy in Maiduguri

    Video: Thugs attack, stone Atiku Abubakar’s convoy in Maiduguri

    Unknown thugs have reportedly attacked the Peoples Democratic party’s (PDP) Presidential candidate for the 2023 general election, Atiku Abubakar.

    This was disclosed by Otaigbe Imadegbelo one of his supporters  on Twitter.

    According to Otaigbe, APC thugs are the ones behind the attack.

    He wrote “Atiku’s convoy attacked in Maiduguri by APC thugs .. No amount of that drug baron thugs will stop our rally in Borno today.”

    Confirming the attack during the party rally, the PDP spokesperson, Dino Melaye stated that the All Progressives Congress (APC) tried to stop their campaign in the state by deploying thugs to attack them.

    According to Dino, he said, “They deployed their thugs to attack our convoys with stones, sticks, machetes as we left the Shehu’s Palace to come to the Ramat Square, all in an attempt to stop our rally.”

    he lamented that thugs were deployed in strategic positions, but nobody can stop them.

    No fewer than 74 persons were hospitalised while over 100 vehicles were vandalised.

     

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  • [Video]: Suspected PDP thugs attack Labour Party supporters in Delta State

    [Video]: Suspected PDP thugs attack Labour Party supporters in Delta State

    Some suspected PDP thugs attacked Labour Party supporters, yesterday in Delta state.

    Recall that Labour Party held a mass rally at Agbor, delta state in support of their Presidential candidate, Peter Obi ahead of the 2023 Election.

    According to an eyewitness, who spoke on the condition of anonymity, he said that they were attacked when the rally was coming to an end. According to him “they attack our people on their way home, some suspected PDP thugs, injured our boys. The worst part of it was that Police were there and they could not intervene.

    Some of the videos making the rounds show wounded labour party supporters wallowing in pain from injuries inflicted on them by these thugs. A lady in the video accused a PDP councilor from Alugba responsible for the attack.

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  • INEC debunks carting away of PVC machines in Catholic church by thugs

    INEC debunks carting away of PVC machines in Catholic church by thugs

    The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in Lagos State, said that thugs did not cart away its voter enrollment machines in Surulere as being reported in some sections of the media.

    It was reported earlier on Friday, that thugs invaded INEC Continuous Voter Registration (CVR) centre, situated at St. Bridget Catholic Church ljesha, in Surulere, and catered away INEC enrollment machines.

    Reacting to the development, INEC’s Public Relations Officer in Lagos state, Mrs Adenike Oriowo said that though the exercise was distrupted because of the surge, no machine was stolen.

    “There were issues in the said CVR centre but orderliness was restored and the exercise continued smoothly.

    “We have moved the registration in that centre to another polling unit in the area, and our officials have continued with the registration.

    “People should be patient. We shall register as many people as possible. If people continue to disrupt the process, the opportunity to register more people before the deadline will be interrupted.

    “Our commitment is to register as many people as possible and we will try to do so within the limited time,” the INEC spokesperson said.

    Oriowo, who frowned at the last minute rush by many applicants, said the exercise had been on since June 2021 and many people did not take the advantage but waited till the deadline.

    “As it is, INEC started this process over a year ago. The surge we are experiencing in the last few weeks is expected, but people should as well be patient.

    “The commission will do everything possible to register as many people as possible. We will try as much as possible to capture everybody,” she added.

    Oriowo said that INEC had also been monitoring the CVR processes in the state.

     

  • The eagle shall not be landing for 2023 general elections but thugs, almajiri and aliens – By Godwin Etakibuebu

    The eagle shall not be landing for 2023 general elections but thugs, almajiri and aliens – By Godwin Etakibuebu

    The eagle is landing or the eagle has landed has always been a remarkable exclamation for expectation of something good that happened or about to happen. If the Nigerian political clime had been progressively enhancing, since the beginning of this Republic – the Fourth, 2023 general election would have been radiating a tremendous hope.

    But unfortunately, and very woefully unfortunate for that matter, the past 23 years – let’s just make it up to 24 years, and that is taking it into 2023, things have fallen apart for the Nigerian political development. It is not to say that there were no events of remarkable value within the route of the past 23 years of this journey. To say and stink to that might not be interrogatorily narrative enough. And posterity will hold us accountable for tragedy of wrongful acquisition of historical documentation.

    Whatever gains that might have been noticed here and there, along the line of this journey so far – talking of the movement, starting from 1999, when Olusegun Obasanjo; a Four-Star Military General and one time Military Head of State in Nigeria, would not be uprightly documented because of defaults; standing out like thorns, along the length of this journey’s path.

    However, that is not to say that there are no good historical landmark achievable records to the credit of the journey so far. While Olusegun Obasanjo tried elongation of tenure – what most Nigerians called “Third Term Agenda”, though the Ebora Owu – Olusegun Obasanjo – would quickly deny it at any given time, the incumbent democratically elected President – Muhammadu Buhari, so far till date, has not attempted embarking on such perfidiously degenerate act. 

    He has not spoken in favour of it, even when a few demonic citizens spoke of it. Neither has the reading of his body language indicated anything of such misadventures.

    Again, unlike Olusegun Obasanjo who dictated and nominated his successor, and even followed it up by running the campaign exercise over and above his nominated and anointed candidate [successor], Muhammadu Buhari; for whatever double-talking prowess he has acquired, he kept distance from what he earlier said, or about to say, or even what he sent a proxy to say on his behalf – which he absolutely denied, he kept himself clean. 

    For example, in spite of some double talks of the President, at different times; like saying: “I have a preferred candidate”, to what he told his APC Governors that “in the principle of RECIPROCITY, allow me to pick a Successor that will take over from me”, to another statement, when he told selected members of his political party that “let delegates chose the candidate in the primary”, and to the final statement – the very one that broke the camel’s back that “I have no anointed candidate”, the man did not degenerate. 

    These are melodious lyrics that one cannot throw away when chronology of events are to be taken. This should be the controlling reason why 2023 general elections need to be appreciated with loud ovation in advance. But can we really say that the Eldorado of the Nigerian democratic development has really come full circle enough to cause some dancing steps from now. 

    I am afraid that there is no cogent hope for the celebration of 2023 general election without being surrounded with sufficient air of melancholy. And l will articulate my reason of arriving this route which is not lifting the soul or the spirit. Come with me please.

    We have not been too fortunate with good governments in this country right from the day we yanked our independence from the British. We have seen ourselves along the line of continuous decline with successive governments. And this is a statement of fact, not necessarily for everyone to agree with me, since we are not robots.

    While on the evaluation of this trajectory; and this is in my personal opinion, the present government happens to be the icing of the cake in bad governance. The All Progressive Congress-led government must have scored distinction in all papers of corrupted governance and this is well known to all Nigerians – even to those that died and are laid restless in their graves.   

    And when, during the just concluded Primaries of all the political parties, mostly as displayed by the two biggest parties – the APC and the PDP hope for better democratically developed elections for the future vanished totally. 

    For the first time in the annals of political electioneering in the history of this country, there came to be established, at the highest level, DOLLARISATION of political contestation in Nigeria, as delegates; across the Political Parties, were dancing away with enough Dollars that could have been enough to budget for the country in the past when sanity ruled the waves.

    In view of this demon of DOLLARISATION, what will the general election of 2023; shall be presenting to us can therefore not be the landing of an Eagle in any format. What shall be landing instead; in the place of a Peaceful Eagle, would be three dangerous Entities or Tribes of Thugs, Almajiri and Aliens. 

    And these three entities shall be rising and arriving from all parts of Nigeria with one purpose of mission – to wit: to wage a frightening war against success of democratic ethos’ continuity in Nigeria. 

    And this can never be good news for the feature of this country – which historian might be referring to [aftermath] as a country that was.

    Will President Muhammadu Buhari stop this anticipated catastrophe from happening? It is only him, his kinsmen and his Cabal that can supply the answer. Nigerians are waiting by the sideline hopefully or hopelessly. 

    This Court adjourns – C-O-U-R-T.

    Godwin Etakibuebu; a veteran Journalist, wrote from Lagos.

    Contact:

    Website: www.godwintheguru.com

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    Twitter: @godwin_buebu

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    Phone: +234-906-887-0014 – short messages only. 

    You can also listen to this author [Godwin Etakibuebu] every Monday; 9:30 – 11am on Lagos Talk 91.3 FM live, in a weekly review of topical issues, presented by The News Guru [TNG].

  • Just In: Two persons shot in Segun Oni’s campaign convoy in Ekiti by suspected ruling APC thugs

    Thugs suspected to be members of the All Progressives Congress (APC) on Saturday opened fire on the convoy of the Social Democratic Party (SDP) governorship candidate in the June 18 Ekiti governorship poll, Chief Segun Oni, injuring two of his supporters.

    The incident happened while Oni was on a royal visit to the palace of Onitaji of Itaji-Ekiti.

    The hoodlums were said to have attacked the former governor’s convoy with guns, cutlasses, and other dangerous weapons.
    Luck however ran out on one of the attackers, who was wearing a campaign T-shirt of the APC candidate, Biodun Oyebanji as he fell from the vehicle conveying them and he was immediately apprehended.

    Upon interrogation, he identified himself as Christopher, the Chairman of the National Union of Road Transport Workers, Ise garage, Ado Ekiti.
    In a video seen by SaharaReporters, he said they were sent by a popular APC chieftain in Ekiti State, Mr Mentilo.

  • PDP guber primary: Police to arraign 98 suspected thugs in Ekiti

    PDP guber primary: Police to arraign 98 suspected thugs in Ekiti

    The police command in Ekiti on Monday paraded 98 suspected thugs who were apprehended on the eve of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governorship primary in the state.

    ASP Sunday Abutu, the command’s spokesman, told newsmen in Ado-Ekiti that the suspects were apprehended by troops at a check point.

    He said the suspects, who were arrested at Itawure/Efon-Alaaye Ekiti Junction, were later handed over to the police on Friday for prosecution.

    The Police Public Relations Officer disclosed that the suspects were allegedly in possession of unlawful items at the time of their arrest.

    He said they would soon be arraigned as investigations have been concluded.

    Abutu said investigation on the identity of their sponsors was also underway

    “I can confirm to you that 98 suspects who were arrested at a military checkpoint around Itawure/Efon-Alaaye Ekiti Junction were handed over to the Police on Friday and having concluded our investigations, we are charging them to court.

    “They were found with various weapons, including Pump Action guns, live cartridges, knives, cutlasses, and substances suspected to be charms.

    “The person who brought them seems not to be connected with the state.

    “For security purposes, I won’t mention his name because investigation on that particular person has not been done,”Abutu added.

  • Thugs invade venue of Zamfara PDP congress, destroy vehicles, chairs, canopies

    Thugs invade venue of Zamfara PDP congress, destroy vehicles, chairs, canopies

    Some political thugs on Monday attacked the venue of the Zamfara State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Congress.

    The programme initially slated for the Zaitun Oil mill, behind State Pilgrim Board has been moved to the Command Guest House in Gusau, the state capital.

    According to reports, the thugs invaded the venue in the early hours of Monday and destroyed the voting materials, nomination forms, two vehicles belonging to party members, chairs and set canopies ablaze.

    The Personal Secretary to Deputy Governor of Zamfara State, Umar Aminu said the party will not be intimidated by the incident, noting that the congress will still go ahead as scheduled.

    He said the hoodlums are unknown but assured security agencies will investigate.

    It is not certain which political party is responsible for the attack on the PDP facility in the north-western state.

    Despite the attack, the Deputy Governor of Zamfara State, Barrister Mahdi Aliyu Gusau and the Caretaker Chairman of the party, Ambassador Bala Mande have arrived the new venue of the congress.

    The congress has drawn 1,089 delegates and is meant to produce key PDP officials that will pilot the affairs of the party.