Election: Soldiers impound Delta Information Commissioner’s car

 Some unindentified soldiers on Saturday impounded the official car of the Delta Commissioner of Information, Mr Chike Ogeah, at a polling station where he went to be accredited to vote. Ogeah told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) at St. John Bosco’s Catholic Church, Ward 6, Oshimili South Local Government Area, his polling station, that […]

 Some unindentified soldiers on Saturday impounded the official car of the Delta Commissioner of Information, Mr Chike Ogeah, at a polling station where he went to be accredited to vote.

Ogeah told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) at St. John Bosco’s Catholic Church, Ward 6, Oshimili South Local Government Area, his polling station, that some armed soldiers in three vehicles accosted him.

The commissioner said that he had been accredited and was leaving the polling station when the armed soldiers swooped on him.

“One of the soldiers ordered me to stop at the centre of the road and surrender my car key to him. He insisted that if I did not obey him he would shoot me.

“I even identified myself and he wouldn’t listen and I decided to give him the key to stop further harassment,” he said.

NAN reports that other residents complained of such harassment by soldiers on their way to and from polling stations.

Mrs Bridget Anyafulu, the Executive Director of International Centre for Women Empowerment and Child Development, an NGO, corroborated Ogeah’s complaint.

Anyafulu said that she was harassed along Summit Road Asaba on her way to the polling station, at Umuadaike Ward 8, Oshimili South .

She noted that the soldiers’ action discouraged some voters from casting their votes.

When contacted, the Police Public Relations (PPRO) in the state, Mrs Celestina Kalu, confirmed the incident.

Kalu told NAN that the commissioner had informed her about the incident and added that the situation in the polling station had been put under control and his car released to him.