The Nigerian Army has handed over to the Nigeria Police Force 14 suspected political thugs allegedly involved in carrying out various electoral offenses in Rivers. Colonel Aminu Iliyasu, spokesman of the Nigerian Army 6 Division, spoke at the handover parade at the police divisional headquarters in Port Harcourt on Tuesday, March 5.
He said the all-male suspects were arrested during the just-concluded Presidential and National Assembly elections on February 23.
“The suspects (names withheld) were arrested in different locations in the state for various electoral offenses they committed.
“We have concluded our preliminary investigation, and as such, we are handing over the suspects to the Nigeria Police to carry out further investigations and possibly prosecute them,” he said
Iliyasu said nine of the suspects were arrested in Abonnema, Akuku Toru Local Government Area, while five others were apprehended in Iwofe Area of Port Harcourt. Victor Onyeugo, an Assistant Commissioner of Police in the Criminal Investigations Department, Rivers Police Command, received the suspects on behalf of the command.
It was reported that the army had on February 26 handed over to the police two senior Rivers government officials and 11 others accused of snatching ballot papers.