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BREAKING: Hoodlums Set Office Of Electoral Body, INEC Ablaze In Enugu, Ballot Boxes, Others Burnt

Hoodlums have attacked and burnt down the office of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in the Igboeze North Local Government Area of Enugu State.

 

The electoral commission has confirmed the arson attack in a statement on Monday signed by Festus Okoye, National Commissioner, Information and Voter Education Committee of INEC, and obtained by SaharaReporters.

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The statement said the attack occurred on Sunday night.

It reads, “The Resident Electoral Commissioner for Enugu State, Mr Emeka Ononamadu reported that our Igboeze North Local Government Area office was set ablaze by unknown arsonists. The attack happened at 11.48 pm on Sunday 3rd July 2022.

“The arsonists overpowered the security guards, forced their way into the premises and set the building ablaze. Although no casualties were reported, 748 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 Voter Cards (PVCs) locked up in the fireproof cabinet.

“The incident has been reported to the Nigeria Police for investigation and further action.

“The attack coming in the middle of the voter registration exercise and other preparations for 2023 General Elections is worrisome. It will be recalled that on 23rd May 2021, our office in the neighbouring Igboeze South Local Government Area was attacked in a similar manner by unknown gunmen.

“This followed earlier attacks on Udenu Local Government Area office on 13th May 2021 and the State Headquarters in Enugu on 16th May 2021. The commission has since substantially recovered from these attacks and resumed normal activities there, including the CVR and collection of PVCs.

“The Commission will continue to work with the security agencies and emergency services to protest our facilities.

SaharaReporters earlier reported that one of the offices of INEC in the Kaura Namoda Local Government Area of Zamfara State was also recently razed.

Also in May 2021, it was reported that some unknown gunmen set ablaze the newly-completed INEC office located at Okwudor community in the Njaba Local Government Area of Imo State.

 

According to Okoye, the arson attack took place around 11:30 am.

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Insecurity