The police in Imo state have arrested more than 28 armed thugs who were allegedly sent by People’s Democratic Party ( PDP) chieftains to disrupt the ongoing local government elections in the State.
A police source confirmed that the ferocious thugs were arrested in Ohaji=Egbema, Oru West, Ikeduru, and Isiala Mbano local government areas where they were trying to either hijack election materials or disperse early voters.
It was gathered that in addition to being armed to the teeth, the thugs operated in Sienna buses, shooting sporadically into the air to scare people away.
At Isiala Mbano ,men of the Civil Defence apprehended five persons, including a lady who told newsmen that they have marching orders from top PDP leaders to ensure that the election did not hold in the local government.
However, the leader of the civil defence team confirmed that they got credible information from Owerri that a particular political party had perfected plans to disrupt the election under the guise that it would be rigged by the ruling All Progressive Congress (APC).
Efforts to reach the police public relations officer in Imo state to confirm the arrests were not successful, but a source disclosed that it was a joint operation by the security agencies.
Meanwhile, the arrests may not be unconnected with an alleged coordinated attempt by the PDP to disrupt the local government polls.
Sources within the security services revealed that the PDP is uncomfortable with the state’s plan to revamp and restructure the local government administration, fearing it would expose their alleged collaboration with criminal elements who have been behind much of the insecurity plaguing some remote villages in the state.
The arrested thugs were allegedly part of a broader scheme to carry out mass abductions of electoral officials and launch attacks on voting centres.
This malicious plot was intended to create chaos and derail the elections, thereby preventing the local government system from being reestablished under the new democratic structure.
The PDP’s discomfort with the electoral process has been evident in its recent smear campaigns against ISIEC, with the party launching sustained attacks on the commission in various media outlets .
In a desperate bid to sway public opinion and discredit the elections, the PDP has resorted to fabricating fake news, including baseless claims that APC candidates across the state have been disqualified by the courts.
Observers see this as part of a larger PDP strategy to use fake news, scaremongering, and actual violence to undermine the electotal process.
However, with the swift action taken by security agencies, it appears that their plans to sabotage the democratic process have been thwarted.
A source within the APC described the arrest as a “victory for democracy,” stating that the PDP’s attempt to prevent the people of Imo State from exercising their constitutional right to vote has failed. The source also expressed confidence that with these arrests, peace and order will prevail during the elections.
Meanwhile, security agencies have assured the public of their readiness to ensure the elections proceed smoothly and have vowed to bring to justice anyone found attempting to disrupt the election.
The state government has called on citizens to remain vigilant and to reject any efforts to instigate violence, urging them to come out and exercise their civic duty without fear.