‘Corps member not dead’ — police speak on mob attack at FCT polling unit
The federal capital territory (FCT) police command has dismissed claims that its officer and a corps member were mobbed for thumbprinting ballot papers.
On Saturday, a viral video surfaced online showing an angry crowd descending on a corps member.
In another video, the crowd was seen charging at a police officer holding ballot papers.
The incident occurred at a polling unit inside LEA Primary School in the Lugbe axis of the FCT.
Some reports alleged that the corps member and officer were caught thumb-printing ballot papers in favour of a political party.
But in a statement on Sunday, Josephine Adeh, the FCT police spokesperson, dismissed the allegations.
Adeh said the mob attacked the officer and corps member for fear of being disenfranchised after officials of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) arrived at the polling unit late.
“The FCT Police Command wishes to set the records straight concerning misinformation and disinformation on social media alleging that a Police Officer was caught with thumb-printed ballot papers,” the statement reads.
“This is not the fact as the Officer was only assisting Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) Staff to salvage electoral materials after they were attacked by electorates at the polling unit.
“The incident which occurred at Polling Unit 009, Lugbe Local Education Authority (LEA) began when the officials of the INEC arrived the Polling Unit with incomplete electoral materials which aggravated the electorates who resorted to attacking the officials and destroying the materials alleging an attempt at disenfranchisement.
“The officers, in an attempt to prevent the officials from being mobbed and the materials destroyed, assisted in moving some of the items, to the annoyance of the electorates who poured their anger on the officers as well as the officials.
“It is equally pertinent to state that the corp member who was attacked in the video was shielded and taken to safety by the Divisional Police Officer and his men from the Lugbe Divisional Headquarters. He was not murdered as alleged in trending news.”
