News
#OgunDecides2023: EFCC Takes Custody Of Ogun LG Chairman following Arrest With Cash, Arms
As INEC suspends collation of results in Ogun over attack on results, The Executive Chairman of Sagamu Local Government area of Ogun State, Ogbeni Afolabi Odulate, has been reportedly taken into custody by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC.
The embattled Chairman was reportedly arrested on Saturday, during the governorship and house of assembly election in the local government with huge cash and guns. source who was familiar with the arrest revealed to our correspondent that the Chairman, a member of the All Progressives Congress, APC was arrested by the police following violent attacks in the local government.
He was said to have been handed over to the EFCC after police operatives discovered that the guns found in his custody belonged to the officers of the Special Protection Unit.
Eaglesforesight gathered that pressures were being mounted for the release of the Chairman by the Commission.
Wilson Uwujaren, the spokesperson of the Commission, as at the time of filling this report was yet to respond to a message sent to his line.
The elections were marred by violent attacks in many areas of Ogun East Senatorial District especially in Sagamu, Ikenne and some other local governments in the district.
While the process was disrupted in majority of polling units believed to be the stronghold of the opposition, attacks were also mounted against collated results not favourable to the attackers.
The hometown of the governor, Iperu Remo, was not spared as gunshot rented the air in major parts of the town.
Many electoral materials were also destroyed in areas where they had completed voting.
In Ogijo area of Sagamu, corps members conveying results from their polling units were attacked by some thugs who burnt the vehicle and all the materials and results therein.
It was gathered that the attackers who came in motorcycles prevented the results from reaching the collation centers.
Corps members who served as ad hoc staff of the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, it was further gathered, had to be rescued by officials of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps.
Related News:
- PDP Should Call Security Agencies To Act, As Ogun, Lagos Apc Brags To Use Thugs On Election Day To Threaten Electorates —Party Chieftain Laments
- NCC Approves Harmonized Short Codes, Directs Implementation
- Naira Crisis: Mixed Reactions As CBN Officially Okays Old N200, N500, N1000 Notes
The NSCDC officials were also reported to have arrested some of the attackers and taken to the Command, but they were said to have been released after intervention ‘from the above’.
Meanwhile, the INEC has suspended collation of results at the state headquarters, Magbon in Abeokuta, until Sunday morning.
Niyi Ijalaye, the Resident Electoral Commissioner in the State, Saturday, attributed the suspension to late arrival of results from local governments, but a reliable source within the State INEC, hinted our correspondent that the reason might be more.
The Source who craved anonymity as he was not authorised to speak on the matter hinted that there were attacks on local government collation centres in some local governments in Ogun East.
According to the source, the REC has instructed suspension of collation in all the centres because of want of security.
The source further said that collation of results in the affected areas might be moved to the state headquarters.