Chaos at APC Lagos primaries for House of Reps as hoodlums invade venue; one killed, properties burnt

– One person was killed in Epe, Lagos, during the APC primary election for the House of Reps

– The deceased was reportedly shot by hoodlums who attacked a polling unit in Ward 4 as party members awaited the declaration of results

– Some aggrieved youths set houses and vehicles ablaze across Epe community, after the killing of the individual

Some houses and vehicles were burnt in Epe, Lagos East, on Thursday, October 4, as political violence erupted following the killing of a supporter of one of the aspirants contesting to represent the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the House of Representatives election in 2019.

The person killed was identified as Idris Alooma, said to be 30 years old, NAN reports.

TRACK NEWS gathers that he was shot by hoodlums who attacked a polling unit in Ward 4, after voting had taken place and party members were awaiting the declaration of the result.

Four persons were cleared to contest for the APC ticket to the House of Representatives. They are Wale Raji, the incumbent, Lanre Odubote, a former House of Reps member, Remi Adebowale and Segun Olulade, a member of the House of Assembly.

Voting had ended at Ward 4, when the gunmen arrived at about 4.15pm and shot Alooma, a witness, Akeem Lawal said.

He said the hoodlums stormed the polling unit after learning that their candidate had lost.

Lawal complained that the security in Epe was loose because there were no police officers at the polling unit when the attack occurred.

A reporter who monitored the election stated that some aggrieved youths set houses and vehicles ablaze across Epe community, after the killing of Alooma.

The divisional police officer in Epe, CSP Adeyeri Sunday, disclosed that one of the suspects who attacked Alooma had been arrested; adding that his team would do everything humanly possible to arrest other suspects and bring them to book.

The direct primaries to elect the candidates for both the House of Representatives and the Senate were held at the 19 wards in the Epe Federal Constituency.

Senator Gbenga Bariyu Ashafa, cleared to run unopposed for the Lagos East Senate seat by the APC National Working Committee, had an opponent in Bayo Osinowo, a four-time member of the state of House of Assembly.

Voting started at about 3:45pm in many of the wards in Ibonwon, Ikosi-Ejirin, Epe Recreation centre and Ogunmodede among others.

Results are being awaited.

Meanwhile, TRACK NEWS previously reported that violence erupted at the Delta North senatorial district primary of the All Progressives Congress (APC) on Wednesday, October 3, leading to the death of two persons.

There were varying accounts of what transpired; with some sources claiming the victims were killed by police stray bullets at the Federal College of Education, (Technical) where the exercise was being conducted. Others, however, said the victims were killed by political thugs.