By Emma Amaize,  Austin Ogwuda & Egufe Yafugborhi

Police in Delta State have arrested nine suspected political thugs for allegedly invading three Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, registration units in the state, snatching 1,301,000 permanent voter’s cards, PVCs, in the last 48 hours.

Vanguard gathered that 503 voter’s cards were snatched at two registration units in Oginibo and 654 at Ekakpamre, both in Ughelli South Local Government Area of the state, while 144 PVCs were snatched at Erho Abraka, Ethiope East Local Government Area.

Delta State Police Public Relations Officer, PPRO, DSP Celestina Kalu, who confirmed the incidents, however, said the voter’s cards hijacked in Oginibo and Ekakpamre had been recovered and eight suspects already in police net.

According to her, “on Sunday at about 4pm, the DPO, Otu-Jeremi Division received information from the electoral officer in charge of Ughelli South Local Government Area, one Uchechukwu Eze, that some faceless elements stormed units 17 and 18 of Jeremi, Ward 2 in Oginibo and snatched about 503 permanent voters cards (PVCs) meant for distribution in the said wards.

“Based on the report, the DPO led a patrol team to the areas where the INEC supervisor for the wards, one Iweobi Patricia ‘f’ identified one Bulless ‘m’, Raymond ‘m’ and Josiah ‘m’ as the culprits. The three suspects were promptly arrested.”

The police spokesperson disclosed, however, that the 503 pvcs were later recovered abandoned near the garage in Oginibo town.

She said: “In a related incident, on the same date, at about 5.40 pm, the DPO, Otu-Jeremi, received report that 654 PVCs meant for distribution in Unit 12, Ekakpamre ward, were snatched by one Felix.

“Consequently, the DPO moved to the scene with patrol men and arrested the said Felix and promptly recovered all the 654 PVCs.”

The PPRO asserted, “Investigation is in progress while all the recovered PVCs have been released to the electoral officer for Ughelli South Local Government Area on bond.”

According to her, “in the same vein, on Sunday, at about 5.30 pm,  one Egugwu Mulaka, a youth corps member and distribution officer for unit 6, Erho-Abraka, reported at Abraka police station that on 16/08/2014  144 PVCs meant for distribution in the above unit were stolen from him by unknown person(s).

“Four persons suspected by the distribution officer have been arrested and are helping the police in investigation while efforts are on to recover the stolen PVCs.”