Ballot Boxes Destroyed As Gunmen Raze Enugu INEC Office

Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) office in Igbo-Eze North local government area of Enugu State has been burnt by arsonists.

The resident electoral commissioner (REC) in the state, Emeka Ononamadu, reported the incident, saying that 748 ballot boxes, 240 voting cubicles, office furniture and equipment were destroyed in spite of the best effort to put out the fire by the Enugu State Fire Service deployed from Nsukka.

He said the attack on the office happened at 11:48 pm on Sunday, July 3, 2022.

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Meanwhile, the commissioner of police, Enugu State Command, CP Abubakar Lawal, has ordered the state CID to conduct a thorough investigation into the cause of the fire outbreak at the INEC office.

Part of the statement issued by the spokesman of the command, Daniel Ndukwe, read that at about 11pm, the fire was observed from the back of the building.

Ononamadu said the arsonists overpowered the security guards at the INEC office and forced their way into the premises and set the building ablaze.

Meanwhile, INEC national commissioner and chairman, Information and Voter Education Committee, Festus Okoye, confirmed the attack in a statement issued in Abuja yesterday.

He said, “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.

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

The attack, according to Okoye is coming in the middle of the voter registration exercise and other preparations for the 2023 general election, describing it as worrisome.

“It will be recalled that on May 23, 2021, our office in the neighbouring Igbo-Eze 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,” he said.

He said the commission has since substantially recovered from the attacks and resumed normal activities there, including the CVR and collection of PVCs.

Ndukwe said the fire was put out by police operatives that swiftly mobilized to the scene on receipt of the information, with assistance from personnel of Nsukka office of Enugu State Fire Service, thereby averting further damages within the vicinity.