By Clifford Ndujihe
Police have waded into the reported illegal arrest, abduction, brutalisation and humiliation of some Social Democratic Party, SDP, members by political thugs at Nnobi, Idemili South council and Abatete, Idemili North council areas for displaying posters of their party candidates side by side those of a candidate of the leading political parties in the state.

A Cross Section of suspected thugs arrested by the Nigerian Army at Olakwo II Etche during the Rivers Federal and State House of Assembly Re-run Election for Etche and Omuma Constituency being taken into custody by the Army Saturday. Photo: Nwankpa Chijioke

Narrating the ugly experience, an SDP chieftain Mr Cheta Okafor at a media briefing at Awka, noted that a team of six  SDP members who were pasting posters at Nnobi late evening on December 28,2018 at about 10pm were accosted by thugs numbering 25 who arrived the scene in a convoy of vehicles.

Wielding dangerous weapons, he said the thugs in a commando fashion seized and brutalised the rattled SDP members who were too surprised to understand what was happening. Thinking it was armed robbers, they ran into the bush while three of them were abducted, brutalised, injured and commandeered the SDP branded vehicle, bundles of posters and other personal and party items.

According to one of the victims, Mr Paul Onwughalu, they were mercilessly beaten up and ordered into the van or ‘we set it ablaze’.

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He said they were taken to the home of one of the candidates for the Idemili Federal constituency, who ordered another round of beating and flogging with water hoses. “He actually blamed the thugs for not setting us ablaze with our party vehicle. He said  he will teach us  and our leaders whose posters were used to challenge him – Tony Chukwuelue, SDP senatorial candidate and Uche Annie-Okonkwo (the SDP candidate for Idemili Federal Constituency) a lesson.

Another victim, Mr Friday Itam said the hoodlums came in seven vehicles and blocked them. “They seized, beat and kicked us around on the ground. They humiliated us, pouring dirty water on us and forced us under gunpoint to roll in it while they flogged us mercilessly.”

When contacted, the state police command’s Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Mr Haruna Mohammed confirmed that the matter was already under investigation. He appealed for peace, urging every stakeholder to remain law abiding.