Crimes

Again, gunmen set ablaze INEC office in Imo

Gunmen have again set ablaze the office of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in Oru West Local Government Area of Imo State.

This is coming barely three days after the INEC office in Orlu Local Government Area of Imo State was set ablaze by gunmen.

The INEC National Commissioner and Chairman, Information and Voter Education Committee, Festus Okoye, disclosed this via a statement issued and made available to The Star on Sunday.

Okoye noted that the commission’s Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) for Imo State, Prof. Sylvia Uchenna Agu, reported that the building was attacked at about 4 a.m. on Sunday.

He stated that the attack affected the Conference Room where office furniture and fittings were destroyed.

The official of the electoral umpire, however, said other critical facilities were not affected, adding that the attention of the security agencies has been drawn to the incident for investigation and prosecution.

Okoye stated that the latest attack is the seventh attack on INEC’s facilities in five states in the last four months.

He, therefore, expressed concern on the consequences of “what appears to be a systematic attack” on INEC facilities across the country on the conduct of the 2023 general election.

The Star