The Inspector General of Police, Mr. Ibrahim K. Idris, has set up a team of detectives to investigate 70 electoral infractions in the Rivers state rerun.
The action of the police is in response to the statement credited to the INEC chairman, Prof. Yakubu Mahmud, to the effect that there were seventy incidents that tended to derail the 10th December, 2016 re-run elections.
A statement by the Force Public Relations Officer, Mr. Don Awunah, said that the experts would conduct a thorough investigation into the incidents to unravel those who directly or indirectly are responsible for such incidences and bring them to justice.
The investigative team is also mandated to conduct forensic analysis on the audio report released by Sahara Reporters purportedly to be the voice of the Executive Governor of Rivers State, Mr Nyesom Wike.
The government of Rivers State and INEC are enjoined to avail the investigative team with facts at their disposal and grant them the desired cooperation and assistance to achieve a comprehensive and conclusive investigation, he said.
He appealed to election observers, civil society groups, Human Rights watchers and other stakeholders to assist the team with valuable information they may have.
The Nigeria Police Force was committed to enthroning the principles of democratic policing.
The investigative team is headed by a Deputy Commissioner of Police who has vast experience in investigation.
The team has 30 days to complete the investigation and submit report and the findings would be made public, he said.
Yakubu, had said that the commission recorded at least, 70 incidences of obstruction of election electoral processes in Dec.10, re-run legislative elections in Rivers.
Yakubu made the remarks at a world conference at the opening ceremony of a two-day Capacity Development for INEC Press Corps on Friday in Abuja.
The INEC boss said that the violent incidence included harassment, abduction and physical assaults of election duty personnel during the election.
He decried the high level of violence and thuggery witnessed in the exercise, adding that ”on the eve of the election, thugs disrupted the delivery of election materials.
Registration Area Centres (RACs), a situation that prevented early deployment to the Polling Units (PUs)on election day.
Yaukubu said, “Indeed, in many instances, we had to deploy directly from the local government areas to PUs, contrary to our plans.
“Amidst heavy shooting by political thugs, vehicles transporting materials and personnel to PUs were hijacked.
“Voter registers, ballot papers, result sheets and Smart Card Readers (SCR) were brazenly snatched at gun point.”
He said that the commission had documented all the instances of violence adding that “The INEC shall carefully scrutinize them and take appropriate action under the law and its guidelines and regulations.”
NAN
