The Akwa Ibom state Police Command has confirmed the arrest of 153 political thugs allegedly hired from Edo state to cause violence in Saturday’s Governorship and State Assembly elections.
The Commissioner of Police (elections) Mr Ibrahim Sani Ka’oje, said Thursday that the thugs were arrested by the Inspector General of Police (IGP) Special Tactical Squad, Uyo, on Tuesday.
The command said the Squad, while “on intensive patrol, along Ikot Ekpene local government area, arrested 153 persons in 11 buses, adding that they were led by one Jerry Egbom and were on their way to Uyo from Edo state.”
The commissioner, who spoke through the Command’s public relations officer, DSP Odiko MacDon, said those arrested were suspected to be thugs coming into Akwa Ibom for the purpose of causing havoc during the Saturday’s elections.
Police preliminary investigation by the state Criminal Investigation Department (CID) revealed the suspects were APC youths from Edo state.
The thugs claimed that they were on their way to Uyo to attend the final APC youth rally which was held Thursday in Uyo, the state capital.
However, when on-the-spot search was conducted on the suspects nothing incriminating was found on any of the arrested suspects.
The police boss added that, “the command has not foreclosed further investigation into the matter to determine any likely culpability in accordance with the rule of law.”
