Sapele Residents To Okowa: We”ll Stay Away From Saturday Elections Over Insecurity Situation

Less than 24 hours to the commencement of the council polls for Chairmanship and councillorship candidates in the 25 local government areas in Delta State, residents of Sapele have vowed to stay away from tomorrow’s poll over the worsening insecurity situation in the town.

Recall that in recent times, at least 12 persons have been killed with majority of the deaths traceable to cult-related clashes.

Some of those killed include an hairstylist, Adams Amakel Eguvwese popularly known as 10/10 who was gunned down in Sapele 48 hours to the new year.

Just recently, an aide to Governor Ifeanyi Okowa on Youth Development, Okiemute Sowho was shot dead by gunmen.

Sapele residents who took to the streets in Friday in protest against insecurity in the town, vowed to stay away from the local government elections.

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A lady, identified aa Afoke Onobrudu, who says she trades in wrappers said it will be stupid of her to think of coming out to vote when the town is yet to experience peace.

She said: “My brother leave Army and police o, we still hear gunshots attimes and the best thing to do is to stay away.”

Meanwhile, a mechanic, Friday Amaturu, said though the presence of soldiers and other security forces have brought a little sanity, he was not sure of voting at the polls on Saturday.

His words: “Vote ke!, I don’t think o, I am scared of my life so I won’t vote come Saturday; it is better to stay at home than stories that touch later, I will definitely be at home that day for fear of any problem that will arise”

In the same vein, another trader at the Sapele market, Jimoh Anjorin, said he was staying away because the local government campaign team has refused to talk on the insecurity in the town “that shows they have started deceiving us, tell Okowa that though we are satisfy with his response, they should tell us what are the plans to keep them permanently away, tell him we are not coming out to vote”

Although normalcy seems to be returning to the town, some residents accused the Nigeria police force of receiving gratifications, insisting they are complicating insecurity in the town.

One Adogbeji Amos narrated how the police on Saturday at a stop and search along Ajogodo area of the town demanded money from motorists.

According to him, their stop and search was not for arms search but for anybody driving a flashy car to extort such, adding that the soldiers are not like that, as he called on the Commissioner of Police to call his men to order.