Gunmen snatch ballot boxes in Onitsha

PHIL OKOSE, Onitsha

It was snatching of ballot boxes at Fegge Onitsha, commercial nerve centre of Anambra state Saturday during the gubernatorial election as unidentified gun men, numbering about six, stormed two pollling centres, Immaculate Heart Catholic church and St Faith Catholic Church, all in Fegge, and made away with some ballot boxes.

Daily Champion gathered that the gunmen had on storming St Faith Catholic Church located near Mbonu Ejike/Basden junction, in an L300 bus, started shooting indiscriminately to scare the voters and security operatives.

The driver of the unmarked bus reportedly drove straight to where the ballot boxes were placed and reportedly made away with two according to an impeccable source.

“I am sure they were two boxes but an INEC official from his hiding place said it was just one, it is not true, I saw it happened” said an eye witness who pleaded anonymity.

Meanwhile the polling centre has been deserted by both the voters and security operatives for their lives .

In a similar development, another set of unknown gunmen also stormed Immaculate Heart Church polling station along Zik’s Avenue where they shot into the air on arrival.

They allegedly made straight to the location of the boxes and took one sway to an unknown destination even as voters and security operatives took to their heels.

According to a voter who simply identified himself as Orji, “I saw it happened, they came with L300 bus and started shooting indiscriminately into the air and in the process took away one of the ballot boxes”

“As you can see the whole place is now deserted, that is the end of the election here today, the INEC officials when they get back they should tell their story”

“Due to that the voting did not start on time, people turned out en masse in this polling station that housed about three to four polling units”

“The gunmen targeted when the votes would be in large number and struck, and all took to their heels including security men that were supposed to have responded fire for fire” he fumed.

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