UPDATED: Containers loaded with card readers for Anambra election razed by Fire

Chidi Samuel|

Two containers loaded with card readers expected to be used for this weekends presidential election is currently on fire at the head office of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in Awka, Anambra state.

The incident is coming barely four days to the Presidential and National Assembly elections.

The incident comes two days after the INEC office in Plateau State was destroyed by fire. Other facilities of the commission, including in Abia, have also been damaged by fire weeks before the general election.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that officials of the Anambra Fire Service were still battling with the fire as at the time of filing its report.

Combined personnel of the Police, Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) and the Department of State Security (DSS) were on ground to ensure safety.

Confirming the fire, Nkwachukwu Orji, the Resident Electoral Commissioner in Anambra, said he was yet to ascertain the extent of the damage.

Mr Orji said the sensitive materials affected were smart card readers meant for the general elections.

“I don’t have the details of how the fire started; all I know is that there was a fire incident involving the containers that house some of our sensitive materials.

“We have to do an assessment before we can ascertain the extent of damage, we have been storing equipment in that facility since 2011,” he said.

NAN reports that this incident is the second in the South-east as INEC office in Isiala Ngwa, Abia was penultimate week set ablaze by unidentified persons.