#NigeriaDecides2019 | One killed at polling unit in Ibadan, police arrest ballot snatcher

A 25-year-old man, Monsuru Hamzat became the first victim at a polling unit at Agbongbon area  in Ibadan, Oyo State, as he died after being hit by pellets, after some hoodlums who allegedly accompanied a former deputy governor of Oyo State, Taofeek Arapaja, allegedly fired shots on arrival at Ward 2, Unit 14 at the area on Saturday.

Confirming the incident, the state Commissioner of Police, Shina Olukolu told Tribune Online that voting had been concluded and ballot papers were being counted when the former deputy governor came, allegedly in company with one Akin and Edilla, as well as some hoodlums.

He accused them of disrupting the counting exercise by firing a shot.

“Pellets hit Hazmat and he was rushed to the hospital. Sadly he died,” the police commissioner explained.

Olukolu said that Arapaja fled the scene with those in his company, but added that he (police commissioner) had handed over the case to the State Criminal Investigation and Intelligence Department (SCIID), Iyaganku, Ibadan, for investigation.

The police commissioner also disclosed that a man, Adeyemi Ayomide, was arrested at Agodi area when he came in company with another man to, allegedly, snatch a ballot box.

According to him, the suspect was arrested and ballot papers and boxes were safe.

Before the news of the shooting, the Commissioner of Police, in company with heads of security agencies, went to many polling units in Ibadan city and Oyo town, where he said all activities were observed as peaceful.

In his convoy were the heads of the Nigeria Immigration Service, Federal Road Safety Corps, Nigeria Customs Service, Directorate of State Services, National Drug Law enforcement Agency, Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, Nigeria Prison Service, as well as other senior police officers and different police teams and escorts.

Speaking with journalists at one of the polling units visited, Olukolu said: “we do not envisage any threat to peace. We try to find out from the officials whether there are issues they want us to rectify. But they told us things were perfectly okay. We observed that there was a great turnout of voters, showing that Nigerians are interested in voting, and they feel secure and safe.”

He assured that nothing untoward would occur, saying: “Security has been provided, and the patrol teams are on the roads. As we go along, we will continue to review the situation. Then, we will cross all ‘t’s and dot the ‘i’s.”

A voter, Mrs Olubunmi Adegbesan, however, complained that her name could not be found on the voters’ list, which made her to be denied of her right to vote.

Mrs Adegbesan said she was however surprised that the names before and after her name were on the list.

“I registered as a voter at 72, Obafemi Awolowo Road, at St John’s Primary School. We moved out of the area, but this morning, I trekked to where I registered, despite living a far distance away.

“But to my surprise, I could not find my name on the list,” she said.

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