The thugs, who reportedly came into Enugu from Kogi, Anambra and Benue states, were arrested in various locations in Enugu East and Enugu North senatorial zones of the state.
No fewer than 300 armed political thugs were arrested in various polling units across Enugu state by security agencies, SaharaReporters has learnt.
The thugs, who reportedly came into Enugu from Kogi, Anambra and Benue states, were arrested in various locations in Enugu East and Enugu North senatorial zones of the state.
Those arrested include the council chairman of Isi-Uzo LGA and his immediate past chairman, Obiora Obeagu and Jacob Abonyi respectively.
Security sources told SaharaReporters that 32 armed thugs were arrested in Isi-Uzo. They were allegedly deployed by the chairman of the local government.
Isi-Uzo council area is the local government area of the Labour Party governorship candidate, Chijioke Edeoga.
According to sources, 20 of the armed thugs were arrested in the Igbo-Eze North council area early Saturday morning, while 140 of them were arrested in the university town of Nsukka.
One of the soldiers who led the operations accused the operatives of the Nigeria Police Force of being complicit in various political thuggery in the state.
According to the soldier, "30 political thugs working for the Peoples Democratic Party that were arrested while distrusting election in Leje Nsukka that were handed over to the police were released after we left the station. Those thugs later returned to destroy election materials in those places. Unfortunately for them, we arrested some again who were moved to Enugu.
"From the look of things, the Enugu State government is run by cultists and it is very unfortunate. The N1000 and N500 old banknotes that Supreme Court ordered that it should be returned as legal tender were openly distributed to buy votes. So looking at it closely you see the governors and politicians used the opportunity to distribute the old banknotes they parked for this election."
Meanwhile, political thugs allegedly working for a former governor of the state reportedly chased out all Labour Party agents at Nkanu West LGA headquarters in Agbani, a collation centre for Enugu East senatorial election.
A journalist, Chijioke Ogbodo, who was also chased out of the council area, told SaharaReporters, "The Council Chairman, Uche Ejim despatched his thugs after me, even as an accredited media representative, and forced me out of the premises. It's this bad."
He added, "At about 4:49 PM, PDP sponsored thugs shot sporadically into the air and smashed election materials including result sheets at Amankwo polling centre as well as Ubogu polling booth both in Akpugo II, Nkanu West LGA of Enugu State.
"LP was leading at the above-named units before the disruptive violence."