The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has given an update on the fire incidents and attacks on its offices by hoodlums in Osun and Ogun State.
According to the commission on Thursday, 65,699 uncollected Permanent Voters Cards (PVC) were destroyed in the fire.
The Chairman, INEC Information and Voter Education Committee, Festus Okoye said 904 ballot boxes, 29 voting cubicles, 30 megaphones, 57 election bags, and eight electric power generators were also destroyed by the unscrupulous elements.
The attacks occurred separately at the commission’s offices in Abeokuta South Local Government Area of Ogun State and the Ede South Local Government Area Of Osun State.
Okoye, in a statement, said both incidents occurred in the early hours of Thursday, noting that while the entire building of its Abeokuta office was set ablaze, a portion of its Ede office was burnt.
The INEC National Commissioner said security agencies have been alerted and investigation had commenced into the worrisome attacks.
“With just 106 days to the 2023 General Election when the Commission has commenced the movement of materials to our offices nationwide, these simultaneous attacks are very worrisome indeed,” he said.
Okoye also said the commission has convened an emergency meeting of the Inter-Agency Consultative Committee on Election Security (ICCES) for Friday, November 11, 2023 to discuss the “disturbing trend” of political violence.
