AUCHI – The recently concluded September 28, 2016 Governorship election in Edo State had come and gone, but the violence that characterized it, is still reverberating in the lives of the families of victims.
A family member of one of the victims told our reporter that the whereabouts of their brother, Aliu Suraju is unknown after he was attacked and seriously beaten by hoodlums believed to be members of opposition party, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) at Azama Primary School, Jattu, Etsako West Local Area, Edo State.
The family source, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said Suraju, a staunch member of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), was at the voting centre at Azama Primary School, Jattu on election day to vote and monitor elections proceedings for his party, APC.
It was gathered that towards the close of voting, armed youths who were alleged to be members of PDP invaded the election venue with sophisticated weapons and started shooting sporadically to scare voters at the venue.
It was also gathered that the All Progressives Congress (APC) were leading at the Polling centre when the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) agents at the centre called the gunmen to distract proceedings and snatched ballot boxes and other electoral materials.
It was further gathered that Suraju mobilized other APC youths and repelled the attack. Irked by the action of the APC youths, some of the PDP hoodlums started fighting the APC youths with dangerous weapons. Suraju was beaten mercilessly and left for death. He was rushed to the hospital for treatment.
As at the time of writing this report, the whereabouts of Aliu Suraju who has escaped for fear of been killed is unknown.
