Thugs Chase Journalists, INEC Officials With Axes, Destroy Ballot Boxes In Ogun

Hoodlums believed to be political thugs have disrupted the electoral process at Ward 13 polling Unit 22, Itori Odo area of Abeokuta metropolis, in Abeokuta South Local Government Area of Ogun State capital.

The axe-wielding hoodlums, who vented their anger on journalists and electoral officers on duty, also snatched two ballot boxes and destroyed them immediately.

An officer of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corp (NSCDC), who struggled to rescue the ballot boxes from the hoodlums, was eventually overpowered, forcing everyone to scamper for safety.

Trouble started when an agent of the All Progressives Congress (APC) accused journalists of taking pictures of the voting process at the unit.

One of agents said they had been instructed by some certain superiors not to allow anybody take pictures or record videos at the unit.

All efforts to convince the agents fell on deaf ears.

Meanwhile, one of the thugs identified simply as Taiwo attacked the agent of the Action Democratic Congress (ADC), who tried to intervene.

Taiwo poured dry gin on the face of the ADC agent, before other thugs surfaced from different corners with axes and attacked the INEC officials and materials.

Information gathered revealed that APC has never won election in the unit but the PDP.

It was also gathered that a son of the community, Oluseyi Funmi, is also contesting for State House Assembly under the platform of Action Alliance (AA).