Tony John, Port Harcourt
The Special Adviser to the Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike, on Infrastructure, Otonye Briggs, told the Justice Monima Danagogo-led Judicial Commission of Inquiry that the Nigerian Army had incercerated him for 11, denying him the right to perform his civic duty during the March 9 elections.
The Commission was inaugurated by Governor Wike to investigate the remote and immediate causes of electoral violence, killings and other related acts that occurred during the February 23 and March 9 presidential and governorship and House of Assembly elections respectively, in Rivers.
In his testimony, Briggs accused the 6 Division of the Nigerian Army, Port Harcourt, for denying him the right to perform his duty as the Returning and Collation agent of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), in Akuku-Toru Local Government Area, for governorship poll.
Wike’s aide accused chieftains of the opposition party in the area of being the masterminds behind the ill-treatment meted out to him by the military.
He narrated:
“On March 9, I went out to carry out my civic responsibility because it was an election day.
“Very early morning on that day, I dressed by 7am to go to the RAC centre, where the election materials were supposed to be distributed.
“I was the Returning/Collation agent of PDP in Akuku-Toru LGAs. Base on that position; I was supposed to be present at the RAC centre to witness how the election materials would be distributed to the units and wards for the election to commence. Four military vehicles drove to where I was with about 15-20 military vehicles. I saw in one of the Army vehicles wearing a white T-shirt and pointed at me as one of the PDP leaders. The Army officers pointed their guns at me and said I was under arrest.
“They arrested me, denying me the assignment as PDP returning and collation agent for governorship election on that March 9 election.
“It was on March 19, or 20, that a court order was made. Instead of the Army to release me based on court order, they released me to FSARS. I sent a message to my lawyer.
“It was FSARS that released me based on the court order after I was incercerated for 11 days in cells,” Briggs told the Commission.
Similarly, the Akuku-Toru LGA Secretary and Leader of Ward 14, Obonoma, Tobins Tobins, told the Commission of Inquiry that over 70 soldiers, with eight Hilux vans, invaded his residence in search of the council chairman, Rowland Sekibo, and other chieftains of the opposition party in the area.
Tobins stated that between the February 22 and March 7 elections he passed through an agonising experience at the hands of soldiers who invaded and destroyed his property, purportedly in search of guns and party chieftains.
“I was taken to the 6 Division, Nigerian Army, Port Harcourt, and they handed me over to the Military Police. I was released on Thursday, March 7, after being arrested on February 22,” Tobins had recalled.
He further alleged that the Army had worked in collaboration with the opposition to subvert the will of the people in regard to the governorship election in the area.