The Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, in Ebonyi State on Wednesday confirmed the razing of two of its offices in the state.
The commission noted with regret that its two offices located in Ezza’s north local government area and one in the state headquarters was razed by unknown gunmen.
The INEC’s National Commissioner for Publicity and Chairman of Voter Education, Mr. Festus Okoye, made this known through the Commissions official Twitter handle
INEC noted that the said offices were set ablaze on Tuesday night by unknown gunmen.
The statement reads: “Last night, Tuesday 18th May 2021, two INEC offices in Ebonyi and Ezza North Local Government Areas of Ebonyi State were burnt down by unidentified persons. No casualties but extensive damages to the building and facilities,”.
GOLDENNEWSNG learned that sensitive documents and other valuables worth millions of naira were reportedly burnt to ashes by the hoodlums.
Investigation revealed that the development was the latest in the series of attacks on offices of the electoral body across the country, especially in the South East region.
The attacks came 24 hours after the INEC management held an emergency security meeting with all security agencies to curb the burning of its offices across the country.
At least 20 offices of INEC have been gutted by fire in the last two years, including four fire incidences in Akwa Ibom; Abia three in Anambra, and two in Imo (two).
Other fire incidents were recorded in Borno, Ebonyi, Jigawa, Kano, Ondo, Plateau, and Rivers, Abuja was also affected.
It was learned that while 11 offices were burnt by hoodlums, eight others were gutted under mysterious circumstances or by electrical faults.
INEC’s National Commissioner for Publicity and Chairman of Voter Education, Mr. Festus Okoye, had said in a statement on Tuesday that the attacks now portends danger for election-related activities
“As we categorically mentioned in our earlier statements, the spate of attacks on the Commission’s facilities portends danger to national electoral activities” he noted.
