Barely few weeks to 2023 general election in Nigeria, gunmen have again bombed the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) facility in Ojoto, a community in Idemili South Local Government Area of Anambra State
Penpushing reports that the spokesperson of the commission, Festus Okoye, disclosed this in a statement on Wednesday, adding that the Resident Electoral Commissioner in Anambra State, Elizabeth Agwu, reported the attack to the commission.
The commission imagemaker in the statement disclosed that the building was substantially damaged in the attack, adding that all furniture and other items were destroyed, including non-sensitive materials recently delivered in readiness for the 2023 general election
‘The building was substantially damaged in the attack. All furniture and other items were destroyed, including non-sensitive materials recently delivered in readiness for the 2023 general election’, Okoye said.
“Among the items lost to the inferno are 729 ballot boxes, 243 voting cubicles, 256 election bags, 11 mega phones, one electric power generator and large quantities of indelible ink and liquid gum’, he added.
Penpushing further reports that the spokesperson, who is a lawyer in the statement, however, said the Permanent Voters’ Cards (PVC) kept in the commission’s fireproof cabinet were not affected during the attack.
The commission spokesman stated that no sensitive materials have been delivered to the local government area office, adding that the attack appeared to have been coordinated given that a police facility in Nnobi was also attacked by the gunmen.
Penpushing also reports that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) assured that there was no cause for alarm, boasting that despite the attack, the commission would still go ahead with the 2023 general elections as planned.
“Despite this despicable incident, the commission wishes to reassure the people of Idemili South Local Government Area that contingency arrangement will be made to replace the (destroyed) materials and the Presidential and National Assembly elections will proceed on 25th February 2023 as scheduled, to be followed two weeks later by the House of Assembly election’, Okoye said.
Penpushing reports that in similar vein, the gunmen attacked a Police Divisional Headquarters in Nnobi, another community in the council area, killing a 16-year-old boy and injuring a 15-year-old girl during the attack.
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