By Elijah Adeyemi
Violence erupted at Ward 5, Uromi Girls Primary School, along Convent Road in Esan North-East Local Government Area of Edo State last weekend during the April 14, 2007 governorship election, following an alleged invasion of the polling unit by suspected political thugs.
The incident, which disrupted voting in the area, reportedly led to the death of two persons and forced voters to flee as gunshots were fired during the ensuing chaos.
Eyewitness accounts and preliminary police findings indicated that the trouble started when a group of suspected thugs allegedly attempted to interfere with electoral materials at the polling unit.
The situation was said to have escalated into a confrontation between the suspected thugs perceived to be loyal to the people’s Democratic Party (PDP) and some people loyal to Action Congress (AC) at the centre.
Sources said the thugs suspected to be loyal to the PDP were trying to manipulate the election material but when some members of the AC and agents, including one Deric Johns an AC agent, were trying to prevent them, they eventually opened fire and bullet hit two people who were rushed to the hospital but later died.
The gun shot reportedly thrown the polling area into panic mode until strong security operatives were deployed to the scene to restore order.
It was gathered that some of the youths in the centre at the time of the crisis were arrested but some people suspected to have been part of the fight including AC polling agent, Deric Johns, as well as some identified loyalists of the PDP and agents, Desmond Efosa, Destiny Raymond among other youths fled the scene amid the confusion.
Security source confirmed that about ten persons have been arrested, and many others escaped, adding that those arrested will be charged to court in connection with electoral offences arising from the incident, while those escaped will be wanted list.
Meanwhile, a member of the AC and election aspirant has reportedly distanced himself from the arrested people, allegedly describing them as political thugs and also denied any formal link to their activities and AC during the election.
The April 14, 2007 Edo governorship election, particularly in parts of Esan North-East, was widely characterised by reports of ballot box snatching, voter intimidation, and violent clashes between rival political groups, with Uromi among the flashpoints.
As investigations continue, police have said some of the identified persons namely Desmond Efosa, Deric Johns, Destiny Raymond and many others who escaped from the scene will be in the wanted list with the aim of arresting them like others and take them to the court.
