Nigeria: #nigeriadecides2023 – Gunmen Kill Rivers APC Campaign DG On Election Day

INEC official shot during the election in the state is receiving treatment, the police say.

The Director General of the All Progressives Congress (APC) campaign in Ahoada West Local government area in Rivers State, Chisom Lenard, has been killed by yet-to-be-identified gunmen in the state.

Mr Lenard was killed on Saturday during the governorship and State House of Assembly election in the area.

Police spokesperson in the state, Grace Iringe-Koko, confirmed the incident in a statement she issued Sunday.

Mrs Iringe-Koko, a police superintendent, said the Police Commissioner in the state in charge of election matters, Echeng Echeng, has directed operatives of the command to deploy all investigative assets to ensure that perpetrators are brought to book.

“From information gathered the campaign director general was shot dead by yet-to-be-identified gunmen in the afternoon of Saturday 18 March.

“The Commissioner of Police commiserate with the families of the bereaved and has promised to bring perpetrators of such heinous crimes to justice,” she said.

Punch newspaper reported that Mr Lenard was kidnapped by gunmen dressed in police uniform, while elections were going on at Ibagwa polling unit 2 ward 10 in Ahoada West Local Government Area.

According to the newspaper, the APC chieftain made an effort to prevent the gunmen from snatching election materials before he was whisked away in a commando style and was killed hours later.

Besides the killing of the APC chieftain, an ad-hoc official of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) was also shot dead on Saturday in the Abua-Odual Local Government Area of the state while on election duty, PM news reported.

The official, whose name was not given, died while being rushed to the hospital.

Another victim injured by a stray bullet was hospitalised, the newspaper said.

A similar incident occurred four years ago during the 2019 elections where five persons, including a soldier, were killed, while others sustained injuries in the violence following the presidential and National Assembly election in the state, according to ThisDay newspaper.

The incident of 2019 forced INEC to suspend polls in two local government areas of the state.