Edo Guber: Soldiers stop thugs from invading INEC office

Few hours to the Edo State 2024 governorship election, soldiers resisted attempt by thugs to invade the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC office in Oredo Local Government Council where election materials are kept.
This development was confirmed at a press conference in Benin City late Friday by the Edo State Commissioner for Communication and Orientation, Chris Nehikhare.

While commending soldiers for their gallantry in repelling thugs, he urged security agents to watch out for thugs and other criminal elements across the 18 Local Governments of the State.

Nehikhare named Oredo, Egor and Ikpoba Okha Local Governments as hotspots for thugs, hence, security operatives should beef up their vigilance.

He disclosed that thugs have taken over some of the INEC office as the Local Government Secretariats across the State.

He said, thugs have laid siege to Oredo, Etsako West, Esan West and some of the very serious local government areas, but said, the political party thugs are working for are yet to be known at the time of the press conference.

“We just want you to know that this kind of activity is not acceptable. But, just before I stepped into this place, we were told that soldiers had repelled these thugs from Oredo secretariat and made them go across the road and now there is a border around the collation centre.

“We are also hearing that they planned to attack these collation centres, especially the strongholds, like Oredo, Egor, and Ikpoba/Okha. But I’m smiling because I’m happy with what the soldiers are doing and they are showing character and discipline and telling people that they should not be intimidated by what is going on.

“We want to encourage the soldiers to please go across the 18 local government headquarters and take possession of these collation centres.