Two suspected underaged voters were intercepted on Saturday during the Edo Central Senatorial bye-election by officers of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) at Owu Primary School, Ewohimi, Esan South-East LGA.

The suspects, who appeared visibly underaged and were found with suspected fake voter cards, were identified as Isoa Emmanuel and Kofi Oseibhue.

The development angered some political leaders at the school, who nearly attacked the NSCDC officers.

Defending the suspects, one Aimiebenomon questioned the authority of the NSCDC to intercept them, alleging that many underaged voters had been allowed in elections held in the North.

While urging the NSCDC to charge the suspects in court, Aimiebenomon, a leader of one of the major political parties in the election, vowed to provide a lawyer for them.

He argued that merely looking at the suspects’ physical appearance was not enough to determine their age, adding that their looks had been affected by years of hard work and poverty.

However, the NSCDC officers later instructed the suspects to leave the polling area, apparently as a diplomatic move to avoid being attacked by angry youths.