Gunmen yesterday attacked and set ablaze the office of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in Idemili south local government area of Anambra State.
INEC’s commissioner for information and chairman, voter education, Mr. Festus Okoye, confirmed the incident in a release.
According to him 729 ballot boxes, 243 voting cubicles, 256 election bags, 11 megaphones, one electric power generator were destroyed during the attack.
“The Resident Electoral Commissioner for Anambra State, Dr Queen Agwu, reported that our office in Idemili south local government area was attacked and set ablaze by unknown gunmen. The incident occurred in the early hours of today, Wednesday, February 1, 2023.
“The building was substantially damaged. All furniture and other items were destroyed, including non-sensitive materials recently delivered in readiness for the 2023 General Elections. Among the items lost to the inferno were 729 ballot boxes, 243 voting cubicles, 256 election bags, 11 megaphones, one electric power generator and large quantities of indelible ink and liquid gum.
“However, uncollected permanent voter cards 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 said.
However, Okoye said contingency arrangement would be made to replace the materials.
He also stated that the presidential and national assembly elections would proceed on February 25 as scheduled, to be followed two weeks later by the governorship and state house of assembly polls.
Also confirming the incident, spokesman for the state police command, Mr. Tochukwu Ikenga, said security had been reinforced in the area.
He said the attackers also invaded Nnobi police station in the area and killed a 16-year-old boy while a 15-year-old girl sustained gunshot injury.
“The Anambra State Police Command today, February 1, 2023, reinforced security deployment in the state following an attack on the INEC office in Idemili South, Ojoto, and Nnobi Police Station.
“The hoodlums came in their numbers by 1.45am today (yesterday), February 1, 2023, in four unmarked Siena vehicles, armed with IEDs, petrol bombs and other explosives. They invaded the INEC office, the police station and a residential building in the station.
“Unfortunately, one boy aged 16 years, a relative of a serving policeman in the station, was murdered by the armed men, while the other, a female aged 15 years old, sustained a gunshot injury. She has been taken to a hospital where she is receiving treatment,” he said.
