The INEC Chairman, Prof Mahmood Yakubu, made the call on Friday in Abuja while addressing the House of Representatives Ad-hoc Committee investigating attacks on its offices across the country.
Nigeria's electoral umpire, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has called on security agencies to designate its facilities across the country as of high priority.
The INEC Chairman, Prof Mahmood Yakubu, made the call on Friday in Abuja while addressing the House of Representatives Ad-hoc Committee investigating attacks on its offices across the country.
Mahmood told the House Committee that the commission recorded 50 attacks in 15 states between 2019 and 2021.
The INEC boss said that the commission recorded eight attacks in 2019; 22 in 2020; 12 in 2021 and eight in 2022.
The commission has witnessed several attacks by unknown hoodlums who have burnt down several offices of the electoral commission, leading to the destruction of electoral materials, including permanent voter cards.
Most recently, INEC offices in Imo, Ebonyi, Ogun and Osun states were vandalized or set ablaze by hoodlums.
Ahead of the 2023 general elections, Mahmood said, "Security agencies should designate INEC facilities as high priority."
"Electoral Offenders are hardly punished," he said, adding that the National Assembly "should expedite action on establishing the Electoral Offences Commission and Tribunal."
Meanwhile, the INEC boss reassured the lawmakers that the 2023 general elections will be held as scheduled.