Operatives of the Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) in Rivers State have recovered 31 Electronic Card Readers (ECRs) believed to have been stolen from the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).<\/p>\n
The SRCs were recovered in a bush on Rumuji-Emohua axis of the East-West Road in the Southsouth state. They were allegedly thrown into the bush by thugs who were fleeing to escape arrest.<\/p>\n
The thugs were believed to be working for one of the major political parties.<\/p>\n
SARS Monday notified the Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) in Rivers State, Obo Effanga, seeking for more information and the cooperation of the commission and its officials to ensure detailed investigation.<\/p>\n
A top official of the SARS in Rivers, told our reporter in confidence on the telephone that the hoodlums, who drove in a brown Toyota Camry saloon car around 9am on Saturday, were given a hot chase by operatives of the squad, making them to escape, after throwing a bag containing the 31 card readers into the bush.<\/p>\n
The SARS chief also revealed that operatives of the police formation continued to search the bush, leading to the later discovery and recovery of the 31 stolen card readers, which was revealed by intelligence as perpetrated by political thugs.<\/p>\n
According to the SARS\u2019 top official, the recovered card readers were still in police custody.<\/p>\n
It was also learnt that the hoodlums\u2019 car left Port Harcourt for communities in Emohua Local Government Area of Rivers to perfect their rigging plans, unaware of 11th hour postponement of the Presidential and National Assembly elections.<\/p>\n
Rivers SARS, in a letter to the REC of INEC in the state, with reference number: AR:3000\/RVS\/SARS\/RVS\/VOL.8\/272, dated February 16 and received\/signed yesterday at 8 a.m. by an INEC official, titled: \u201cInvestigation Activities. Re: Stolen and recovered INEC Card Readers by ASP Monday Mathias and Team,\u201dwas signed by Rivers Commander of SARS, Mr. Akin Fakorede, an Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP).<\/p>\n
The letter reads: \u201cThe above-named detective and team are serving members of this formation and are investigating a case of suspected stolen\/recovered INEC\u2019s card readers.<\/p>\n
\u201cYou are kindly requested to assist the team in the course of the investigation. Attached herewith are the serial numbers of the INEC\u2019s card readers for ease of reference. Accept the best assurances of the Rivers State Commissioner of Police (Usman Belel), please.\u201d<\/p>\n
When contacted for his reaction through the telephone at 7:45pm yesterday, the REC of INEC in Rivers, said: \u201cI am still expecting the investigating SARS operatives to come to INEC office in Port Harcourt, for further details.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Operatives of the Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) in Rivers State have recovered 31 Electronic Card Readers (ECRs) believed to have been stolen from the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC). The SRCs were recovered in a bush on Rumuji-Emohua axis of the East-West Road in the Southsouth state. They were allegedly thrown into the bush by […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":11,"featured_media":98520,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[15,2,4],"tags":[14505,163,124,3480,3479],"yoast_head":"\n