The Edo state police command has declared one Idahosa Stanley and two others wanted for mobilising thugs to polling units in Ogida community in Ovia North-east local government area during the July 14th 2012 gubernatorial election in the state between the ruling Action Congress Nigeria (ACN) and the opposition party People’s Democratic Party (PDP) where they disrupted electioneering process in the community by destroying ballot boxes.
Confirmed report also indicated that vehicles and property worth millions of naira were also destroyed by the thugs who unleashed violence in the community.
The Nigerian Observer gathered that voting was delayed as a result of late arrival of sensitive election materials to the local government area.
It was gathered that following the late arrival of voting materials , the voters commenced with voting in earnest for their respective candidates of their choice.
The situation however degenerated into violence when supporters of the opposition party attempted to intimidate voters ,some of the officials and agents to alter some of the collated results in favour of their candidate as voting continued but to no avail.
Confirmed reports indicated that the thugs were led to the polling units in a blue Mercedes Benz car by Idahosa Stanley and two other supporters.
The two others supporters are Osamede Uyi and Jerry Osas.
The thugs allegedly shot sporadic gunshots in the air to disrupt the election when the voting process appeared not to be in favour of their candidate as voters scampered for safety .
It was reliably gathered that the thugs and supporters of the opposition party entered all the polling units in the ward destroying ballot boxes while others carted away with ballot boxes.
A source in the community ,who did not want his name in print, said the alleged sporadic shootings by the thugs resulted in unconfirmed number of casualties as the injured victims are yet to be identified.
The Nigerian Observer learned that another victim who was hit by a stray bullet was later confirmed dead several hours after he was rushed to an undisclosed hospital for urgent treatment.
Attempts to ascertain from the police if any arrest concerning the alleged violence and destruction of property worth millions of naira revealed no arrest was made .
The thugs led by Idahosa Stanley (a youth leader in the community ) in company of others were largely responsible for the violence which led to the casualties.
A statement made available by the police in Benin city stated that while the police command is still on the trail of the thugs responsible for the violence in the community, it has also launched a manhunt for Idahosa Stanley, Osamede Uyi and Jerry Osas whose whereabouts remain unknown .
