Once again, unknown individuals set the INEC headquarters on fire.
Yesterday, someone set fire to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) headquarters in Ebonyi State’s Izzi Local Council.
The fire was said to have been ignited at the building in the council’s Iboko region at approximately 10:00 a.m. by some unidentified individuals.
Festus Okoye, National Commissioner of INEC and Chairman of the Information and Voter Education Committee, stated in a statement that although no one was hurt in the assault, the main structure and all moveable and immovable goods within were completely destroyed.
340 ballot boxes, 130 voting booths, 14 power generators, sizable water storage tanks, various office furnishings and fixtures, and an unspecified number of Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs) are among them.
According to Okoye, the event has caught the attention of the Nigeria Police Force and other security authorities, and an inquiry has started.
Sad to say, this is our local government office’s third assault in less than three weeks. On November 10, 2022, identical attacks were made against our offices in Ogun and Osun States.
THIS occurred at the same time that Usman Alkali Baba, the Inspector General of Police (IGP), directed all Commissioners of Police overseeing state commands to fortify INEC offices and activate the Inter-Agency Consultative Committee on Election Security.
Political violence, hate speech, intolerance, false information, and extremism are all possible dangers to national security and democracy, according to the IGP.
Therefore, he asked the commissioners to work together with the ICCES members to minimize violence and bring those responsible for it to justice.
“The IGP has charged all Commissioners of Police in charge of State Commands to ensure adequate and strategic deployment of officers and assets, as well as coordinate, deploy, and supervise officers from other security agencies scheduled for election duty, in accordance with ICCES directives, to fortify all facilities of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) within their remit,” CSP Muyiwa Adejobi, the police high command’s spokesman, said in a statement.
For the 2023 general election security management duty, the IGP has ordered a new delivery of gadgets, anti-riot gear, and personal protection equipment (PPE) for police personnel throughout the federation.
The equipment includes non-lethal weapons for crowd control and reducing casualties in the case of a confrontation with subversive forces, such as electro-shocks, rubber bullets, water cannons, tear gas, and riot guns.
The IGP called on other security agencies, stakeholders, and members of the public to proactively support the Nigeria Police Force in its efforts to ensure everyone’s safety and security before, during, and after the elections. He also reaffirmed the administration’s commitment to the protection of democratic heritage and national security interests.
