Rivers LG Election: Voters accuse police of disrupting results collation in Port Harcourt

There has been some disruption in the local government elections going on in Rivers State.

At ward 19 Elekahia, Port Harcourt City Local Government Area collation centre, voters alleged that the police came in shooting and using teargas on them.

Some ballot papers were seen littered at the entrance of the collation centre.

Some of the voters who spoke with Channels Television said the voting process was already over and counting concluded before the disruption.

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Meanwhile, officials of the Rivers State Independent Electoral Commission, RSIEC and voters ran for their lives as operatives of the Nigerian Police arrived Elekahia Primary School in Port Harcourt City local government area shooting teargas.

About 21 Hilux patrol vans with heavily armed operatives were spotted driving into the venue from Elekahia Road.

RSIEC officials who had set up their stand to begin accreditation in Ward 19 which has ten units scampered for safety and the operatives chased them out of the Ward.

One of the policemen was heard saying, ‘” Come here, remove that vest. What are you doing here? Common move!”

The policemen, some of whom were masked, also asked the officials to remove their vest and hand it to them.

The operatives also shot tear gas canisters directly into the crowd of people who were running for their lives.

A policeman fired another teargas at bystanders at the entrance of the Street and residents who came out to cast their votes ran helter-skelter.

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Many of RSIEC officials, voters and residents of the community ran into Boms streets in Elekahia community in confused manner, thereby creating tension in the area, as several police patrol vans sped out of the area with many election materials.

When contacted, the spokesperson of the State Police Command, Grace Iringe-Koko, said she was not aware of the incident.

“I’m not aware. You are just telling me now, ” she said.