INEC records seven attacks in four months, another Imo office burnt

Suspected hoodlums on Sunday morning attacked another office of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in Oru West Local Government in Imo State.

The attack affected the Conference Room where office furniture and fittings were destroyed.

This is the seventh attack on INEC facilities in five States of the Federation in the last four months.

INEC National Commissioner and Chairman of, the Information and Voter Education Committee, Festus Okoye disclosed this in a statement on Sunday.

Okoye said the Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) for Imo State, Professor Sylvia Uchenna Agu, reported this to the commission.

Okoye said: “It would be recalled that on Thursday, December 2022, our office in Orlu Local Government Area of Imo State was also attacked.

“Overall, this is the seventh attack on our facilities in five States of the Federation in the last four months.

“Once again, the Commission expresses its concern on the consequences of what appears to be a systematic attack on its facilities across the country on the conduct of elections in particular and electoral activities in general.

“The attention of the security agencies has been drawn to this latest incident for investigation and prosecution.

The latest attack is the fifth on Local Government INEC offices within the space of four weeks, following attacks in Ogun, Osun and Ebonyi state, thereby, raising fears about the 2023 poll.

Just last week, the commission’s office in Orlu Local Government Area of Imo state was attacked on Thursday leaving the building, which was undergoing extensive renovation following an earlier attack vandalised and partially set ablaze.

The attacks on INEC facilities around the South-east and the South-south regions have been attributed to the outlawed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB).

But IPOB has consistently denied any involvement in the attacks.

-The Guardian