Cross River rerun: Pirates snatch polling materials, officials

The Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC has lamented the kidnap of its officials and voting materials in the House of Assembly runoff election in Affanya, a community in Abi Local Government Area of Cross River State.

Speaking through the National Commissioner for South-South, Dr. Mohammed Lecky, the commission said that the incident happened in the middle of the river leaving the security officials accompanying the materials and officials with no room to maneuver.

Lecky who was flanked by the state Resident Electoral Commissioner, Dr. Alalibo Johnson at the briefing said that the “gunmen accosted the electoral officials with materials and went away with all the voting materials along with the SPO (State Presiding Officer).

“Well security men that accompanied the materials and men of election duties decided to avoid casualty by not engaging the unknown armed men in the middle of the river.

“However, I thank God that all the NYSC members on duty and other election duty officials have returned safely to office except the SPO, whose phone is ringing but he is not picking.”