Election materials destroyed as arsonists set INEC office ablaze

Arsonists on Sunday set the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) office at Awgu Local Government Area of Enugu State ablaze.

The Chief Fire Officer in Enugu State, Chief Okwudili Ohaa, confirmed the incident in Enugu.

Ohaa said that a distress call was received by the Enugu State Fire Service at about 1.30a.m.

“As usual, when we received the distress call our trucks and men at Ozalla Station quickly moved to the scene.

“We equally mobilised fire engines and fire fighters from Enugu metropolis.

“Our prompt intervention saved the entire complex as only one office room was affected in the raging fire before it was extinguished,” he said.

Ohaa said that the quick response of fire fighters gave credence to the establishment of fire stations in local government areas by Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi.

There are feelers that the arsonists climbed through the perimeter fence to gain access to the INEC complex.

Arsonists had earlier in the year attacked the INEC Headquarters in Enugu State and the INEC office in Udenu Local Government Area of the state as well. Meanwhile, INEC has reported that election materials were destroyed in the Sunday morning’s attack on its Awgu office in Enugu State.

The commission disclosed this in a statement issued by its National Commissioner and Chairman, Information and Voter Education Committee, Mr. Festus Okoye on Sunday, in Abuja.

Okoye said the attack on the facility was reported by INEC’s Resident Electoral Commissioner for Enugu State, Mr. Emeka Ononamadu.

Okoye said the office was set ablaze, resulting in extensive damage to mainly the stores section where election materials were kept.

“Fortunately, all movable election materials had been evacuated following recent attacks on our offices in the state. There were no casualties during the incident.”

Okoye said the identity or motives of attackers were unknown, while the incident had been reported to the Nigeria Police Force for investigation.

He said the commission appreciated the prompt response of the security agencies comprising the Nigeria Police Force, the Nigerian Army, the Department of State Services (DSS) and the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) as well as the Enugu State Fire Service and the Awgu local government neighbourhood watch.

He noted that the unfortunate incident was the first, since the last attack on INEC facilities four months ago in May 2021