The face off between newly deployed Divisional Police Officer & Youth Corps members serving as Ad hoc staff for the Governorship and State Assembly Elections in Eket has delays the elections for two hours.
As at 10am, the youth corpers had besieged Immanuel General Hospital where the victim is receiving treatment insisting insisting that they were not going to bulge.
The corpers had threatened to pull out from election duties following brutality of a corps member by Policemen on Monday.
Divisional Police Officer in Eket assaulted a corper, James Durojaiye who was beaten up by other policemen under the DPO's instruction.
The victim, it was gathered fainted and was rushed to Immanuel General Hospital on Hospital road in Eket, Southern Akwa Ibom where he is receiving medical attention.
He was reportedly in critical condition on Monday night, a development that compelled other corps members to threaten to boycott the polls in Eket.
Grace Duru, a corp member said that the incident happened at INEC office in Eket where the corpers were invited for a briefing on election duties.
“Why we are here is that the act of hostility from the police of all who are supposed to protect corp members is unacceptable and we want the Police high command to intervene immediately,” she said
Police Spokesman Mr Onyeka Orji said telephone that he was yet to be briefed on the development.
However addressing the corp members, the Area Commander, of Oron Police Command Mr P.L Garuba has been redeployed following the incident.
“I want to assure you that we are not going to condone lawlessness in the force and the affected officer has been withdrawn as we speak, and I have taken over his job” Garuba said.
The corpers resolved to call off the boycott and return to their various polling stations after an address by the minister of Lands and Housing Chief Nduese Essien, Senator Elect for Eket District,Helen Esuene INEC Electoral Officer Mr Ronibo Briggs and other community leaders.
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