Idongesit Ashameri, Uyo
The 166 Suspected thugs arrested on their way from Edo to Akwa Ibom State as thugs ahead of Saturday elections are currently cooling their feet in the conference hall of the police headquarters, Ikot Akpan Abia, Uyo.
The suspected thugs who almost fill the hall to capacity were as at when our correspondent visited the station, secured by some men of Special Anti Robbery Squad (SARS), including Supol Idorenyin Akpabio, cousin to Senator Godswill Akpabio.
Oshiomhole
The buses they were intercepted with were also seen parked behind the conference hall of the police headquarters, Ikot Akpan Abia.
Igbere Tv correspondent reports that the suspected thugs, arrested on Tuesday night at Obot Akara, Akwa Ibom State, with manifest bearing names, phone numbers and next of kin of the thugs confessed they were mobilized by Tony Kabaka a known Thug who works with and for Oshiomhole.
Judging from the threats recently issued by the National Chairman of the APC, Adams Oshiomhole during a presidential thanksgiving visit in the state, many suspect the intention of the thugs to have been to cause havoc, attack government and other installations to create artificial crisis in the state and cause a postponement of the elections.
Independent reports that Oshiomhole had during the visit to the state vowed, in very strong terms to deploy everything at his party’s disposal to ensure his party, the APC comes out victorious during Saturday polls.
For this, many suspect the thugs were contracted by APC National Chairman, Comrade Adams Oshiomole on behalf of the Akwa Ibom State chapter of the APC as part of the strategy adopted by the APC after Monday’s Town hall meeting in Uyo and a close door meeting held at Akpabio’s country home on Monday night which was attended by the Vice President, Prof Yemi Osinbanjo.
The thugs were said to have departed Benin in the early hours of Tuesday, enroute Uyo, and were intercepted at the Obot Akara boundary axis of the Ikot Ekpene/Umuahia expressway. The suspects were taken from Obot Akara to Uyo by security forces where they are currently camped at the police headquarters.
Efforts to speak with the Police Public Relations Officer, Mr Odiko Mcdon failed as calls, text messages and chats sent to his phone line were not responded to. A visit to his office also met his absence.
