INEC records second attack on Imo facilities in three days

Our reporter/ The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) on Sunday recorded another attack on its offices in Imo State.

While the first attack occurred on Thursday, the second is coming barely 72 hours later.

INEC National Commissioner and Chairman of Information and Voter Education Committee, Festus Okoye who made the disclosure in a statement, said the latest attack on its office in the Oru West Local Government Area of Imo State was attacked at about 4.00am on Sunday.

The Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) for Imo State, Professor Sylvia Uchenna Agu, has reported that our office in Oru West Local Government Area was attacked at about 4.00am today Sunday 4th December 2022,” he said.

“The attack affected the Conference Room where office furniture and fittings were destroyed. However, other critical facilities were not affected.

“It would be recalled that on Thursday 1st December 2022, our office in Orlu Local Government Area of Imo State was also attacked.”

According to Okoye, Sunday’s attack is the seventh of its kind on the facilities of the electoral umpire in five states of the federation in the last four months.

He added that the Commission is deeply worried about 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 INEC National Commissioner noted that the attention of security agencies has been drawn to this latest incident for investigation and prosecution.

Despite repeated attacks on its facilities, INEC last week assured Nigerians that the 2023 general election will be conducted as planned.

While the presidential and National Assembly election is slated for February 25, the governorship and State House of Assembly polls will hold on March 11, 2023.

“I just want to assure the nation that our sensitive materials are not in any of these places where these attacks have occurred,” Okoye had said in an interview with channels television.

“We have secured the BVAS and other sensitive materials that will be used in the conduct of this election. Those materials are not in any of these facilities that are being attacked.”