The office of the Independent National Electoral Commission in Ojoto, Idemili South LGA of Anambra State, on Wednesday, lost over ten thousand materials during an attack by unknown gunmen.
Festus Okoye, INEC spokesman stated on Wednesday in Abuja that the commission lost some non-sensitive materials to the attack on its office.
INEC confirmed the materials were recently delivered to the facility in preparation for the February 25 presidential election.
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It said:
“The building was substantially damaged. All furniture and other items were destroyed, including non-sensitive materials recently delivered in readiness for the 2023 General Election.
“Among the items lost to the inferno are 729 ballot boxes, 243 voting cubicles, 256 election bags, 11 megaphones, 1 electric power generator, and large quantities of indelible ink and liquid gum.”
Speaking further, Okoye revealed that the attack was coordinated due to the nature of destruction on the facility of the commission.
He added that the Resident Electoral Commissioner, (REC) in Anambra, Queen Elizabeth Agwu told the National headquarters of the Commission that the INEC office in Idemili South LGA was set ablaze by the gunmen.
He said:
“However, uncollected Permanent Voters’ Cards (PVCs) kept in the fireproof cabinet were not affected by the inferno.
“Similarly, no sensitive materials have been delivered to the LGA office. The destruction appears to have been coordinated as the Nnobi Police Station in the LGA was similarly attacked.”
He then promised that the commission was already making arrangements to replace the materials in preparation for the general elections in the affected area.
Reports held that the gun-wielding men also attacked the Nnobi police station and a residential building located also in the same council Area.
The hoodlums, who were reportedly armed with explosives (IEDs), invaded the facilities at about 1:45 am on Wednesday, in four unmarked Sienna vehicles.
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