THE Lagos State Police Command on Sunday, March 19, 2023, declared that 17 persons have been arrested during the just concluded Governorship and House of Assembly elections in the state for various offences.
A spokesperson for the Command, Benjamin Hundeyin, in an interview with The Guardian said the suspects were arrested in Oshodi, Badagry, Shomolu, Ijegun, Sangotedo, Lamgbasa, Ajah, Iyana-Ipaja (Alimosho), and Ikoyi, but did not specify the number of suspects arrested in each area.
Alimoshotoday had reported how thugs attacked voters in Ara Junction, Igando. The boys were said to be street boys from Akesan who told Igbo voters to go home.
READ MORE: LAGOS 2023: THUGS INTIMIDATE VOTERS IN ARA JUNCTION, IGANDO
Similarly, in Ijegun also in the Igando-Ikotun LCDA, some armed hoodlums invaded polling units, intimidated voters and inflicted injuries on them.
READ MORE: LAGOS 2023: THUGS INVADE POLLING UNITS IN IJEGUN, INJURE VOTERS
The state’s Commissioner of Police, Idowu Owohunwa, denied that there was widespread violence in the state on Saturday, March 18, 2023. The CP said that the police responded swiftly to most of the attacks as expected.
“It is true that we’ve recorded instances of violence in some areas within the state. The incidents were not as widespread as to affect the general dynamics of the process.
“Most of the instances were properly responded to by the police because we anticipated them,” he said.
But Hundeyin said the suspects were involved in 21 cases, which include, attacks on INEC officials, vandalism, and ballot box snatching.
Others are fake INEC ID possession, conduct likely to cause a breach of peace, assault occasioning harm, and illegal possession of firearms.
Hundeyin said: “All 17 suspects had been taken to the State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID), Panti-Yaba for further investigation. What I can assure is that anyone found culpable will be arrested and dealt with in accordance with law.
