The all male suspects are identified as NOBLE NWAEREMA, DIKE DEINPIRIBO, VALENTINE ALALIBO, ONWUNARI J. WARMATE and ILOKE STEPHEN.
A statement released by the Force Public Relations Officer, DON AWUNAH, indicates that the suspects were caught with election materials as well as firearms and ammunition of the day of the election.
AWUNAH noted that the exhibits include a green INEC branded bag, tight booklets of ballot papers meant for Emohua Local Government Area, one booklet of INEC Accreditation Incident Report Forms, one booklet of statement of results, and one blood stained APC agent ID card.
The recovered arms and ammunition include one AK-47 rifle, one assault rifle, six rifle magazines and one hundred and twelve rounds of live ammunition.
According to the Police statement; thirty-three-year-old NOBLE NWAEREMA was arrested last Saturday by SARS operatives along Rumusi-Elele.
Upon interrogation; the suspect allegedly claimed he was hired by a youth leader in Itu-Ikwere community together with eight others from a neighbouring state.
NWAEREMA is also purported to have told the police how his gang invaded Emouha Local Government and carted away electoral materials meant for polling units within the area.
He was also alleged to have disclosed that the hijacked election materials were taken to a government facility, with armed security personnel providing escort for them.
The Force spokesman said the other suspects – DIKE DEINPIRIBO, VALENTINE ALDIBO, ONWUARARI WARMATE and ILOKE STEPHEN –belong to a group of cultist who operate as professional political thugs.
DONALD AWUNAH alleged that the four suspects claimed their services were engaged by a political party chieftain involved in the National Assembly, who allegedly procured two AK-47 rifles and commissioned his driver to deliver same.
AWUNAH said the suspects were responsible for several armed attacks that took place during the elections in places like Abonnema, Emuoha, Elele, Etche and Omoku where a police officer was gruesomely killed.
