INEC office in Ebonyi set ablaze by unidentified persons

By Lateef Ibrahim, Abuja

The Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, office in Izzi Local Government Area office located in Iboko, Ebonyi State has been set ablaze.

The incident, which occurred around 10.00am on Sunday when some unidentified persons set the entire building ablaze, is the third attack of the INEC offices within the last three weeks.

Already, the Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) for Ebonyi State, Mrs Onyeka Pauline Ugochi has already reported the attack to the headquarters of the Commission in Abuja.

This was confirmed in a statement on Sunday night by the INEC National Commissioner and Chairman, Information and Voter Education Committee, Barrister Festus Okoye in Abuja.

The statement explained that although no casualties resulted from the attack, but that the main building and all the movable and immovable items inside it were destroyed. 

These items, according to the statement, included 340 ballot boxes, 130 voting cubicles, 14 electric power generators, large water storage tanks, assorted office furniture and fixtures and yet to be determined quantities of Permanent Voters’ Cards (PVCs).

The attention of the Nigeria Police Force and other security agencies has been drawn to the incident and have commenced investigation.

The statement by Okoye reads, “The Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) for Ebonyi State, Mrs Onyeka Pauline Ugochi, reported that our Izzi Local Government Area office located in Iboko, was set ablaze this morning.

“The incident occurred around 10.00am when some unidentified persons set the entire building ablaze.

“Although no casualties resulted from the attack, the main building and all the movable and immovable items inside it were destroyed. 

“These include 340 ballot boxes, 130 voting cubicles, 14 electric power generators, large water storage tanks, assorted office furniture and fixtures and yet to be determined quantities of Permanent Voters’ Cards (PVCs).

“The attention of the Nigeria Police Force and other security agencies has been drawn to the incident and have commenced investigation.

“Sadly, this is the third attack on our Local Government office in less than three weeks following similar attacks on our offices in Ogun and Osun States on 10th November 2022”, the statement said.