Another INEC office razed in south-east — 12th incident in 2021

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has announced that another of its offices in Imo state has been razed.

INEC said in a statement that the office in Njaba LGA was burnt down by unknown persons on Sunday.

“Although no life was lost, the building was substantially burnt down, along with electoral materials, office equipment and furniture,” Festus Okoye, the commission’s spokesman, said.

The building was set ablaze a week after the commission’s office in Ahiazu Mbaise LGA of Imo was also attacked.

It is the 12th office of the electoral umpire that has been razed following a recent trend of targeted attacks in the south-east in 2021.

Altogether, 42 of them have now been attacked across 14 states on 41 occasions since the 2019 general elections.

However, the recent attacks have concentrated in the south-east where nine of them were recorded — all in May.

It started in Abia, on May 9, and spread to other four states in the region: Enugu and Ebonyi, with three incidents each;  Imo, with two attacks; and Anambra and Abia with one each.

WHAT IS THE CAUSE OF THE ATTACKS?

The police are yet to announce key arrests since the targeted attacks began.

INEC also believes they are more orchestrated than accidental.

The electoral umpire already expressed fears that the attacks are a “major threat” to the 2023 general elections which is less than two years away.

Moreover, the commission had announced that the continuous voter registration ahead of the next elections will resume on June 28 — but some of the items to be used in the exercise have been destroyed in most of the attacks.

Okoye said on Sunday: “INEC buildings, infrastructure and equipment are critical national assets that guarantee the continuity of electoral activities throughout the federation.

“Attacking these offices is not in the national interest and has the capacity of compromising electoral activities and the credibility of the democratic process.”

The attack took place hours after the Izombe police station in Oguta LGA of Imo was razed by suspected hoodlums.