Over 300 armed thugs of the All Progressives Congress (APC), this evening, ambushed the office of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in Oredo Local Government Area headquarters in Edo State and carted away sensitive election materials.
The shocking incident occurred just minutes after the arrival of the election materials, which had been distributed earlier in the day from Benin City, the Edo State capital.
According to eyewitnesses, the thugs struck, swiftly ambushing security agents, INEC officials, and party agents who were accompanying the materials.
The attackers held the officials at gunpoint while forcibly moving the materials out of the premises.
“They knew exactly when to strike. We had just arrived at the headquarters with the materials when these thugs appeared, heavily armed.
“They outnumbered the security personnel and immediately took control of the situation,” an official, who asked to remain anonymous, recounted.
The attackers were said to have overpowered the armed security operatives assigned to protect the electoral process.
“We were helpless. They pointed guns at everyone, no one could make a move. It was terrifying,” another eyewitness said.
The thugs made off with a substantial portion of the sensitive election materials, including ballot papers, result sheets, and voter registers, according to reports.
One security officer who managed to escape injury during the attack stated, “They came in large numbers, over 300 of them. They were prepared and had us surrounded. We tried to resist, but they were heavily armed, and it became clear that our priority had to be safeguarding lives.”
Sources suggest that the stolen materials could be used to manipulate the results of the election, creating widespread fear of voter disenfranchisement.
This latest incident adds to the growing tension in Edo State ahead of the governorship election. Political observers have expressed concerns about increasing violence and thuggery in the lead-up to the polls.
With the election materials in the hands of the attackers and security still on high alert, the situation in Oredo and across Edo State remains volatile.