THE rerun election into Ilaje Constituency II seat in the Ondo State House of Assembly on Saturday, witnessed series of irregularities, including hijacking of ballot boxes and alleged kidnapping of officials of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

Besides, voters in many towns including Ilu Meje, Igbo-Egunrin, Igbobi, Imoluwa, Gbolomi, Ite-Bukunmi could not participate in the election as 32 officials of INEC and security operatives were allegedly attacked by gunmen at Ilu-Meje, a border town between Ondo and Ogun states.

The vehicles conveying the INEC staff, security personnel and members of the National Youth Service Corps that were deployed for the exercise were said to have been attacked by yet to be identified gunmen.

One of the vehicles, a Hilux, had its windscreens broken, while gunmen were also said to be shooting from their hideout in the nearby bush.

One of the INEC officials that was attacked, Chinedu Oham, said some militants barricaded the road at Ilu-Meje and shot at the four vehicles conveying them to the towns where they were to work.

He said all occupants of the vehicles, including the security operatives had to jump outside the buses and ran for dear lives when the incident happened around 9.30am, adding that the hoodlums in the process entered into the buses and took away two ballot boxes before the security personnel in their convoy encouraged the drivers to drive the vehicles back to the INEC office at Igbokoda.

Addressing journalists on the development, the Deputy Commissioner of Police in charge of the state command, Mr. Henry Fadairo, confirmed it but added that the people had refused to return to the area having been assured of full security and logistics support.

He said, “I sympathized with them and pleaded to them to return because we are ready to mobilize full security support for them but they are afraid and I have asked them to report the case to the superior officers in Akure.”