Violence broke out at the Igwuruta axis of Ikwerre local government area of Rivers on Saturday as restive youths allegedly protesting against attempt to manipulate the presidential election results took to the streets.
There were sporadic shootings and vandalisation of vehicles of motorists plying the busy Igwuruta-Elele-Airport Road in Ikwerre local government area of Rivers State by the protesting youths on Saturday evening.
It was learnt that trouble started when results from polling units in the area started trickling in and a particular presidential candidate seems to be having an edge over a candidate the youths claimed they voted for.
According to PMnews, a motorist in a viral video said the angry youths vandalized the windscreen of his vehicle as well as his front and rear lights when he ran into them on his way back from his village where he went to vote.
He said the angry youths who were shooting sporadically alleged that a prominent politician in Ikwerre local government area carted away ballot boxes at the collation centre to frustrate further declaration of results.
According to traumatized Vehicle owner: “I was just coming back from where I went to cast my vote when I ran into angry youths who claimed the ballot boxes in their area were snatched when Peter Obi was winning. When I saw that they were shooting sporadically, I parked my car. But they still vandalized it. They should allow whoever is winning to win.
“I appealed to them to go after whoever carried the ballot boxes containing their votes and stop destroying cars of innocent people but to no avail.”
Asked what he wants the government to do, he said, “They should allow whoever is winning to win and let the Votes of be count.”
It was gathered that the Igwurita axis, and most areas in Ikwerre Local Government Area of the state are reeling from violence as at the time of filing this report.
When contacted on the development, SP Grace Iringe-Koko, the Spokesperson of the Rivers State Police Command said she was not aware of the incident, but would find out.
At the time of filing this report about 8.46 pm the violence is ongoing, the lives and property of travelers along the Igwuruta-Elele-Airport Road are at risk.
Meanwhile, the Labour Party has accused the Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike, of influencing results of the presidential and National Assembly elections in the state in favour of the All Progressives Congress (APC).
In a post on its Twitter handle, the party alleged that the governor was influencing results in favour of APC at the collation centre in his Rumueme village in Rivers.
The party declared that its presidential candidate, Peter Obi, is currently leading the presidential race in the state.
“This is from a returning officer with INEC. Rumueme 7A 034, Governor Wike’s Village. Wike is at the rec. center to influence results in favour of APC. Obi won hands down in Rivers State.”
