6 persons arrested for diverting DDC machines in Bayelsa

Six persons have been arrested in Bayelsa State capital, Yenagoa for diverting direct data capture (DDC) machines meant for some registration units in Southern Ijaw local government area of the state, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) told newsmen on Wednesday.

The resident Electoral Commissioner, Edwin Nwatarala who briefed newsmen on the development said the six persons including two youth corps members were arrested Tuesday following a tip off as they were carrying out voters’ registration in authorized areas.

Last week, INEC had disclosed that two DDC machines meant for registration units 24 and 33 in Southern Ijaw local government area of the state had been stolen and warned that the data collected could not be programmed into the INEC data base.

The suspects are Ige Emmanuel Muyiwa, a youth corps member with registration number, BY/10A/0349, Kenneth Bonny, Ayaware Gesi, Igwe Nnamdi who hails from Imo state also a youth corps member, Cecilia Brigidi the present speaker of Southern Ijaw Local Government legislative arm and one prominent Chief in the state .

However, the REC did not disclose the name of the sixth suspect who is believed to be an influential chief with strings in high places.

Nwatarala disclosed that Ige was arrested at one Jarius Job’s compound in Kpansia axis of Yenagoa while the remaining four suspects were caught with two DDC machines at the premises of a one time member of the National Assembly, David Brigidi.

The complete DDC machine discovered at Jarius Job’s compound in Kpansia was meant for the Ingbele Compound of Enewari town, East Bomo Ward 1 in Southern Ijaw local government area of the state.

According to Nwatarala, the said chief and the other suspects have been handed over to operatives of the State Security Services (SSS) for investigations.

He reiterated that the diversion of DDC machines outside the authorized places were exercises in futility as any data collected could not be programmed into the INEC data base and warned that anybody caught would be made to face the full wrath of law.