Delta: Police confirm shooting of lawmaker, driver’s death

Posted by admin Delta, Elections 2011, NNP Elections 2011 Updates, State News Thursday, April 28th, 2011

The police on Wednesday confirmed the attack on a Delta State House of Assembly member, Patience Ajudua. The attack led to the death of Ajudua’s driver.

The Police spokesman in the state, Mr. Charles Muka, told the News Agency of Nigeria that some political thugs shot Ajudua during Tuesday’s governorship and House of Assembly elections in which Ajudua was seeking a re-election to represent the Oshimili North constituency under the Accord Party.

Muka said that Ajudua’s driver died in the incident, describing the circumstance as “ballot box snatching” in Ibusa.

The police spokesman, who could not give the name of the dead driver, however, confirmed to NAN that the gunmen shot Ajudua on the arm.

He said the lawmaker had been treated and discharged from a private hospital and that the police had arrested some suspects and that investigations were ongoing.

“We have commenced investigation into the matter,’’ he added.

The Resident Electoral Commissioner in the state, Dr. Gabriel Ada, on Tuesday, decried the level of violence that characterised the governorship and House of Assembly polls in the state.

His reaction followed reported cases of violence in parts of the state, including a bomb explosion close to INEC office in Burutu, at about 9.45 a.m.

There were also reports of sporadic shootings in communities in Isoko area, especially in Owhe, as well as violent skirmishes associated with snatching of ballot boxes in Ughelli, Sapele, Uvwie and Ethiope East respectively.

The Delta State Police command also confirmed the arrest of a suspect in possession of an AK-47 rifle and many rounds of live ammunition in Sapele.

The police also recovered four unexploded bombs, two each in Burutu and Ogbe-Ijoh.

-Punchwp_posts