Attacks On Facilities: INEC Summons Emergency Security Meeting

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has summoned an emergency security meeting for Friday over fresh attacks on its facilities in Ogun and Osun.

The commission announced this in a statement issued by its National Commissioner and Chairman, Information and Voter Education Committee, Mr Festus Okoye, in Abuja on Thursday.

Okoye said that the emergency meeting of the Inter-Agency Consultative Committee on Election Security (ICCES) would discuss the disturbing trend.

Okoye said that INEC received two disturbing reports of attacks on its local government offices in the two affected states of Ogun and Osun.

According to him, “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 a.m 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, eight electric power generators and 65,699 uncollected Permanent Voters Cards (PVCs),” Okoye said.

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, eight electric power generators and 65,699 uncollected Permanent Voters Cards (PVCs),” Okoye said.

He added that similarly, the REC for Osun State, Dr Mutiu Agboke, reported that INEC office in Ede South Local Government Area was attacked and set ablaze.

Okoye said that the incident occurred in the early hours of Thursday morning when some unidentified persons attacked the building and set a portion of it ablaze.

“Fortunately, the damage to our Ede South Local Government was limited to a section of the building and only some furniture items were destroyed.

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

Okoye said that with just 106 days to the 2023 General Election when the Commission had commenced the movement of materials to its offices nationwide, those simultaneous attacks were very worrisome indeed.

Okoye 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 were extremely disturbing.

“Accordingly, the Commission has convened an emergency meeting of ICCES tomorrow, Friday, Nov. 11, 2023, to discuss the disturbing trend.”

(NAN)