No fewer than 10 AK 47 rifle-slinging men suspected to be political thugs were arrested by the police in Nasarawa State on Saturday.
The armed men were apprehended at Anwgan Mangu polling unit in Chiroma ward during the re-run election for the Lafia/Obi federal constituency in the state.
A voter, Friday Negedu, told SUNDAY PUNCH that, during the course of voting, a man carrying a Permanent Voter Card belonging to a female from a different polling unit trying to cast his vote was noticed by other voters who informed security agents.
The apprehended voter, according to the eyewitness, called his mates for help. His mates, who were suspected to be political thugs came out with guns blazing, shooting into the air.
The development caused the voters and officials in the polling unit to flee the unit.
The eyewitness added that the shooting attracted the attention of some soldiers who arrested the shooters.
He said, “The election was going on smoothly and when we discovered a man with a female card trying to cast his vote and we called the attention of the security agents. But all of a sudden he called some thugs who came in their large numbers and invaded the polling unit.”
A Punch reporter who was at the scene of the incident, sighted some soldiers who drove in and impounded three cars belonging to the suspected thugs. Seven AK47 rifles were discovered in the vehicles with registration number AL 953 LFA, AKW 36XA and AJ 986 LFA.
The arrested men were later whisked to the state Criminal Investigation Department while one of them who was shot escaped with bullet wounds.
A soldier who did want his name in print told our correspondent that thugs engaged them in a physical combat during the invasion of Anwagn Mangu poling unit.
Efforts by our correspondent to reach the Police Public Relation Officer, Nasarawa State Command, Mr. Ismaila Numan, for comments proved abortive as all calls to his mobile phone were not responded to as at the time of filing this report.
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