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INEC adhoc staff escape mob attack in Bayelsa

 Yenagoa-INEC in  Bayelsa, yesterday said its adhoc staff deployed for Tuesday’s  State House of Assembly elections in Ekeremor council escaped death in the hands of a mob.

The mob was  said to have abducted and  sprayed the workers with fuel with the intention of setting them ablaze.

The state’s  Resident Electoral Commissioner, Mr Godwin Nwatarali,  told newsmen in Yenagoa  that the workers  comprised  of NYSC  members  and civil servants.

He said the mob also destroyed all the electoral materials meant for the election in ward 11, thereby making the exercise inconclusive.

The INEC boss said the workers escaped into a forest before the police came to their rescue the next day.

“I cannot confirm the number of persons involved but I know that  36 ad-hoc staff were posted to cover the election in Ekeremor ward 11 before the incident occurred,’’ he added.

Nwatarali said the commission had  rescheduled the inconclusive election  for Friday appealed  to the electorate to conduct themselves in an orderly manner.

He also said INEC was working hard to vacate the court order given at the instance of  Sen. Heiniken Lokpobiri stopping the senatorial re-run election.