The Independent National Electoral Commission INEC has summoned an emergency security meeting following renewed attacks on its offices in some parts of the country.
According to INEC National Commissioner and Chairman, Information and Voter Education Committee, Barr. Festus Okoye, the meeting followed reports of attacks on INEC offices in Ogun and Osun States.
“The Resident Electoral Commissioner REC for Ogun State, Dr. Niyi Ijalaiye, reported that our office in Abeokuta South Local Government Area was attacked and set ablaze”, he stated.
He said the incident occurred around 1:15am when some unidentified persons overpowered the security personnel on duty and set the entire building ablaze.
According to him, the main building and all the Commission’s movable assets in the office were destroyed.
“They include 904 ballot boxes, 29 voting cubicles, 30 megaphones, 57 election bags, 8 electric power generators and 65,699 uncollected Permanent Voters Cards (PVCs)”, he stated.
Similarly, the Resident Electoral Commissioner for Osun State, Dr. Mutiu Agboke, reported that the INEC office in Ede South Local Government Area was attacked and set ablaze.
The incident occurred in the early hours of Thursday when some unidentified persons attacked the building and set a portion of it ablaze.
“Fortunately, the damage to our Ede South Local Government was limited to a section of the building and only some furniture items were destroyed.
Accordingly, the Commission has convened an emergency meeting of the Inter-Agency Consultative Committee on Election Security (ICCES) tomorrow Friday 11th November 2023 to discuss the disturbing trend”, he stated.
