INEC Office In Enugu State Set Ablaze By Hoodlums

Image: Daily Trust

Festus Okoye, INEC’s National Commissioner, Information and Voter Education Committee, released the statement on Monday that the INEC office in the Igboeze North Local Government Area of Enugu state was burnt by hoodlums. He said the incident occurred at about 11.48 pm on Sunday, July 3, 2022.

According to the press release, the arsonists overpowered the security guard at the commission’s office and then forced their way into the premises. On gaining entry into the premises, they set the building ablaze.

The commission said no one was injured or died in the attack, but 748 ballot boxes and 240 voting cubicles, and several office furniture and equipment were destroyed in the fire.

The statement titled, ‘Attack on INEC office in Enugu State,’ partly read:

The Resident Electoral Commissioner for Enugu State, M. Emeka Onanamadu, reported that our Igboeze North Local Government Area office was set ablaze by unknown arsonists. The attack happened at 11:48 pm on Sunday, July 3, 2022.

The arsonists overpowered the security guards, forced their way into the premises and set the building ablaze. Although no casualties were reported, 48 ballot boxes, 240 voting cubicles, office furniture and equipment were destroyed in spite of the best effort of the Enugu State Fire Service deployed from Nsukka.”

The Commission is working to ascertain the status of voter registration machines for the ongoing Continuous Voter Registration (CVR) exercise as well as uncollected Permanent Voters Cards (PVCs) locked up in the fireproof cabinet.

As of press time, INEC said it is yet to confirm the status of the voter registration machines and the Permanent Voter Cards that were under lock and key in the fireproof cabinet in the burnt office.

The commission has reported the attack to the Nigeria Police Force and complained that the unfortunate incident came in the middle of the voter registration exercise.

The statement also reported that similar attacks occurred in its offices in the Igboeze South and Udeni Local Government Areas and the Enugu State Headquarters of the commission, all in May 2021.

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