University Lecturer poses as INEC official, found with 17 BVAS machines

A middle aged man, Gabriel Agabi, was on Sunday arrested by the Police for impersonation and being in possession of 17 Bimodal Voter Accreditation System machines not programmed for the ward where he was arrested.

He was caught wearing a reflective jacket of the Independent National Electoral Commission for the general election.

Agabi was arrested at the collation center in Okpoma, Yala Local Government Area of Cross River State by security operatives.

He was later taken to Ogoja INEC’s office, where he confessed to have impersonated an INEC official.

After a confessional statement, he was whisked away by the police to the Ogoja Area Command for further investigation by the Criminal Investigation Department.

The alleged impostor claimed to be a Lecturer in the Philosophy Department of the University of Calabar and hails from Ugoro Community in Bekwarra Local Government Area of the state.

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He impersonated the INEC Collation Officer for Yache Ward in Yala Local Government Area of the state, Dr. Dominic Abakedi.

One of the BVAS found in his possession had the following details: BVAS No: 09/18/10/012 with 216 accredited voters and 250 votes cast.

The impersonator, who was alleged to have been playing the script of a party, had with the collaboration of others, locked up all the agents of other parties in that ward.

He was also alleged to have disappeared since the close of voting around 6pm on Saturday and only resurfaced at the Senatorial District collation center in Ogoja at past 5pm on Sunday.

A senior police officer at the scene, who preferred anonymity, confirmed the development.

Meanwhile, the Commissioner of Police in charge of elections in the district, Zannah Shettima, declined comment on the matter, stressing that he was yet to be briefed.

Shettima said: “I don’t have the details and so I can’t speak on it.”

NAN reports that collation of Cross North Senatorial District results was ongoing at the time filing this report. EAGLE