Another INEC office set ablaze — fourth attack in three weeks

The office of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in Orlu LGA of Imo state has been set ablaze.

Festus Okoye, INEC’s national commissioner and chairman, information and voter education committee, said this in a statement on Friday.

This is the fourth attack on an INEC office within the past three weeks.

INEC offices in Osun, Ogun, and Ebonyi were recently set ablaze, with thousands of permanent voter cards (PVCs), ballot boxes, and other election materials destroyed.

According to the statement by Okoye, Sylvia Uchenna Agu, the resident electoral commissioner (REC) for Imo, said the incident occurred on Thursday.

“The building, which is undergoing extensive renovation following an earlier attack, was vandalised and partially set ablaze,” the statement reads.

“Three out of seven construction workers were abducted but later released.

“The damage would have been more extensive but for the quick response of the Nigeria Police which has deployed its personnel to the site.

“This is one attack too many. The Commission once again expresses its concern over the spate of attacks on its facilities and the negative consequences on our preparations for the 2023 General Election.”

Meanwhile, INEC has said the recent attacks on its facilities will not stop the conduct of 2023 general election.

“We will continue to engage with the security agencies to make sure that these offices as well as personnel and our facilities are protected ahead of the election,” Mahmood Yakubu, INEC chairman, had said recently.

“We may express some concern about the attack on these facilities, but it will never deter the commission from going ahead with the election as scheduled.”