Soldiers intercept truck load of polls materials in Edo
Edo, Elections 2011, NNP Elections 2011 Updates, State News Saturday, April 9th, 2011
…21 suspected thugs arrested, PDP Youth leader shot dead
SIMON EBEGBULEM AND GABRIEL ENOGHOLASE
BENIN CITY- THE National Assembly election in Edo state commenced peacefully Saturday with large turn out, as soldiers on election duty arrested a truck loaded with election materials alleged to have been meant for Zamfara, Kogi and Ogun States, at Ugbegun Junction, in Igueben Local Government Council of the state.
Meanwhile, the youth leader of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Orhiomnwon Local Government Council, Mr David Ogie, was shot dead late Friday by a gun man who was said to have jumped the fence of the building where he was and snuffed life out of him.
21 suspected political thugs were also said to have been arrested at Oba Akenzua Cultural center in Benin City by vigilant security agencies who stormed their hide out at about 9am Saturday. But a police source told Vanguard that they are yet to confirm whether they are political thugs or not “since they were arrested while drinking and smoking Indian hemp”.
There were heavy presence of armed soldiers at strategic areas of the state particularly areas considered as flash points such as Benin City, Owan West and some parts of Edo Central. The soldiers who intercepted the truck load of election materials handed them over to the police authorities in the state for further investigations.
General TY Danjuma returned to the state after the botched election last week, to give support to his wife, Daisy, who is in the senatorial race for Edo South.
Voting commenced in most parts of the state at about 1:30pm, apart from Ikpeshi in Akoko Edo Local Government Council where voting was yet to commence at about 3pm due to late commencement of accreditation. As at the time of filling this report, the presence of large number of soldiers, apparently scared political thugs from operating.
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