Officials of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in Rivers State have fled the state headquarters of commission. The Head of Department, Voter Education and Publicity of the commission, Edwin Enabor, said they had to leave because of the siege to the office by men in military uniform.
Senior officers of the commission surreptitiously left the commission at about noon when the military took over security, rendering the police to remain as bye standers.
Speaking to journalists on Sunday before leaving the state headquarters, Enabor said: “In fact, throughout the elections we had many reports of insecurity, molestation, harassment and assault on our staff and ad hoc staff and the disruption of the electoral process throughout the state in all the local government areas with the consequence that yesterday (Saturday) evening we were unable to see the results.
“Now, it is about 1:00pm, the office is under seige by men in military uniform, army uniform and uniform of the Air Force and the police who have taken over the INEC office.
“They are stopping and screening people and clearing results before they enter the office to the extent that up till now, no collation had been done. So, that is the situation now.”
On the identity of the men, he said: “We don’t understand where the people are deployed from. We are not accusing the Nigerian Army or Air Force but what we say is that the people in the office right now are wearing the uniforms of the Army and Air Force.
“So, if they are not from them, we are therefore calling on them to come and rectify the situation and allow our officers to enter with their results without molestation, intimidation and harassment.”