The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has disclosed that on Sunday May 16, 2021, some unidentified persons around 9:00 p.m overpowered the security personnel on duty at its State Headquarters office in Enugu state, and tried to set the entire building ablaze.
The INEC National Commissioner & Chairman, Information and Voter Education Committee, Festus Okoye who made the disclosure in a statement on Monday, said the attackers set the foyer ablaze, vandalised some offices in the main building and caused extensive damage to some of the Commission’s movable assets within the premises.
He further disclosed that Six (6) utility pick up vehicles (Toyota Hilux) were burnt down while two (2) more were smashed and damaged, adding that the security agencies who were at the scene have commenced investigation.
Okoye who noted that the Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) for Enugu State, Emeka Ononamadu, reported an attack on the office, and the attention of the security agencies as well as the Federal and State Fire Services in Enugu was drawn to the unfolding situation and they responded swiftly, reiterated that the spate of attacks on the Commission’s facilities portends danger to national electoral activities.
He announced that the Commission is holding an emergency meeting with the Resident Electoral Commissioners (RECs) on Wednesday 19th May 2021 and further statement will be released ahead of another emergency meeting with heads of all the security agencies in the country under the auspices of the Inter-Agency Consultative Committee on Election Security (ICCES).
