The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has said that over 65,000 uncollected Permanent Voters Cards (PVCs) were destroyed during the attack on the commission’s local government office in Ogun state.
The INEC office was razed by fire in the early hours of Thursday, November 10, after some hoodlums invaded the facility.
Festus Okoye, INEC’s commissioner for information and voter education, while speaking on the development, said that, “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.
“The incident occurred around 1.15 am when some unidentified persons overpowered the security personnel on duty and set the entire building ablaze.
“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 PVCs,” he added.
Okoye added that one of the commission’s offices in Osun state was also attacked and set ablaze on Thursday, adding that an emergency security meeting had been called to get to the bottom of the electoral threats. according to The Cable.
“Similarly, the resident electoral commissioner for Osun state, Mutiu Agboke, reported that our office in Ede South local government area was attacked and set ablaze by hoodlums,” he said.
“The incident occurred on Thursday morning when some hoodlums attacked the building and set a portion of it ablaze.
“Fortunately, the damage to our Ede South local government office was limited to a section of the building and only some furniture items were destroyed.
“The attention of the Nigeria Police Force (NPF) and other security agencies has been drawn to the incidents and they have commenced investigation,” he added.
Okoye further noted that the rising incidents of attacks on supporters of various political parties since the commencement of campaign barely two months ago and the use of hate and incendiary language by some politicians are extremely disturbing.
According to him, INEC will convene an emergency meeting of the inter-agency consultative committee on election security (ICES) on Friday, November 11, to discuss the disturbing trend.
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