Group demands Benue local council chief’s arrest over electoral violence

A social-cultural group, Concerned Ado Citizens (CAC), has demanded the impeachment of James Oche, the Chairman of the Ado Local Government Area of Benue State.

In a statement issued on Friday by its chairman, Peter Onazi, the CAC noted that Oche was involved in thuggery, electoral malpractice, and violence.

The group alleged that Oche who was the Director-General of the Atiku campaign organization in the Ado/Okpokwu/Ogbadibo federal constituency of the state led thugs to snatch ballot papers and destroyed electoral materials in the Apa Agila Ward in the area during last weekend’s elections.

The military later arrested the chairman and his team of thugs.

However, it took the intervention of a “powerful politician” at the constituency before he was granted administrative bail the following day, while three others who were caught with firearms during the operation are still in custody.

The group described his action as shameful and urged the Inspector-General of Police, Usman Alkali Baba, to re-arrest him within 48 hours.

The statement read: “Oche reportedly led an army of thugs to snatch ballot papers and destroyed election materials, including BVAS in Apa Agila Ward, Ado LGA before luck ran out of them and they were arrested and detained by the military.

“It took the intervention of a powerful politician from the federal constituency before the council boss was granted administrative bail the next day, but 3 others who were in possession of firearms during the operation are still under detention.

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“James Oche has continued to drag the name of the Land of the Sage to the mud with his thuggish exuberance. We have been watching closely his tyrannical regime in Ado that has reduced our homeland into a lawless enclave.

“But his shameful conduct at the Saturday’s poll, where he led a gang of political thugs to snatch ballot boxes and set electoral materials ablaze, surely broke the camel’s back. How can a sitting Chairman who is supposed to be the Chief Security Officer of the council be the one perpetrating criminal acts?

“Enough is enough! We are calling on the Ado Legislative Council to impeach James Oche and save Adolites from the unending embarrassments the Chairman is bringing to the local government. We are giving the councillors seven days to impeach Oche or have thousands of Ado people to contend with.

“We also call on the Inspector-General of Police to re-arrest James Oche within 48 hours, to face justice for his crimes of human rights abuses, embezzlement, money laundry, thuggery, and electoral malpractice.”

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