31 Stolen INEC’s Card Readers Recovered From Rivers’ Bush

31 stolen INEC’s card readers recovered from Rivers’ bush

by Bisi Olaniyi

February 19, 2019

Operatives
of the Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) in Rivers State have recovered
31 Electronic Card Readers (ECRs) believed to have been stolen from the
Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

The SRCs were
recovered in a bush on Rumuji-Emohua axis of the East-West Road in the
Southsouth state. They were allegedly thrown into the bush by thugs who
were fleeing to escape arrest.

The thugs were believed to be working for one of the major political parties.

SARS
yesterday notified the Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) in Rivers
State, Mr. Obo Effanga, seeking for more information and the cooperation
of the commission and its officials to ensure detailed investigation.

A
top official of the SARS in Rivers, told our reporter in confidence on
the telephone that the hoodlums, who drove in a brown Toyota Camry
saloon car around 9am on Saturday, were given a hot chase by operatives
of the squad, making them to escape, after throwing a bag containing the
31 card readers into the bush.

The SARS chief also revealed that
operatives of the police formation continued to search the bush,
leading to the later discovery and recovery of the 31 stolen card
readers, which was revealed by intelligence as perpetrated by political
thugs.

According to the SARS’ top official, the recovered card readers were still in police custody.

It
was also learnt that the hoodlums’ car left Port Harcourt for
communities in Emohua Local Government Area of Rivers to perfect their
rigging plans, unaware of 11th hour postponement of the Presidential and
National Assembly elections.

Rivers SARS, in a letter to the REC
of INEC in the state, with reference number:
AR:3000/RVS/SARS/RVS/VOL.8/272, dated February 16 and received/signed
yesterday at 8 a.m. by an INEC official, titled: “Investigation
Activities. Re: Stolen and recovered INEC Card Readers by ASP Monday
Mathias and Team,”was signed by Rivers Commander of SARS, Mr. Akin
Fakorede, an Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP).

The letter
reads: “The above-named detective and team are serving members of this
formation and are investigating a case of suspected stolen/recovered
INEC’s card readers.

“You are kindly requested to assist the team
in the course of the investigation. Attached herewith are the serial
numbers of the INEC’s card readers for ease of reference. Accept the
best assurances of the Rivers State Commissioner of Police (Usman
Belel), please.”

When contacted for his reaction through the
telephone at 7:45pm yesterday, the REC of INEC in Rivers, said: “I am
still expecting the investigating SARS operatives to come to INEC office
in Port Harcourt, for further details.”

The MTN line of
the Director of Information and Communications of Rivers PDP Campaign
Council, Emma Okah, who is also the state’s Commissioner for Information
and Communications, was not available from 7:55pm yesterday.

When contacted at 7:59 p.m. the Rivers PDP’s Publicity Secretary, Darlington Orji, said he was not aware of the recovered card readers, “talk less of knowing if they were recovered from PDP members.”

Source:- Thenationonlineng