Corps member on INEC assignment drowns in River Niger

ONE of the youth corps members engaged in the ongoing registration exercise in Delta State has drowned in the River Niger. The corps member, whose identity was not immediately ascertained was posted as one of the ad-hoc staff of the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, to register voters at Oko, a riverine community near Asaba.
The state police command, it was learnt had engaged the services of divers to fish out his corpse. Circumstances leading to the death were still sketchy at press time, but the State Police Public Relations Officer, PPRO, Mr. Charles Muka, told our reporter, yesterday, that “it is true that the corps member drowned in the River Niger. He was posted to Oko community and his clothes were found on the bank of the river.”
Also confirming the incident, the INEC’s Chief Public Affairs Officer, Mr. Livy Unuibe, said “the Commission is aware of the tragic incident.”
Meanwhile, the member representing Oshimili South constituency at the State House of Assembly, Mr. Eugene Okonji has called on the people of Asaba and Oko communities to participate actively in the ongoing registration exercise.
Okonji who provided some logistics to ease the registration process in the areas particularly emphasized that “Asaba which hosts the seat of government is key and that is why I am calling on the residents to turn out enmass and register”.