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Policeman Shot Dead As Gunmen Attack On INEC Office
An office of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in Enugu South Local Government Area has been attacked by gunmen.
A police officer was killed in the attack while a section of the property was set on fire.
According to the National Commissioner and Chairman Information and Voter Education Committee of INEC, Festus Okoye, the Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) for Enugu State, Dr. Chukwuemeka J. Chukwu, reported the incident to the headquarters of the commission.
“The incident occurred around 9.12pm yesterday, Sunday 15th January 2023. The security gatehouse was razed. Of the two Policemen deployed to protect the facility, one of them lost his life while the other sustained injuries and is receiving treatment.”
“The commission prays for the repose of the soul of the deceased policeman and the speedy recovery of the injured. The attack is being investigated by the security agencies,” Okoye said.
He added that fortunately, the attackers could not gain access to the main building as a result of the rapid response from the Police and Army personnel from 82 Division.
He also said that the State Commissioner of Police and the REC were personally at the scene immediately they received information about the attack.
He said, “Furthermore, a meeting of the Inter-Agency Consultative Committee on Election Security (ICCES) in Enugu State co-chaired by the REC and the Commissioner of Police has been convened to discuss the latest incident and design additional strategies of fortifying the offices and protecting the personnel and materials.”
Okoye said the destroyed gatehouse will be rebuilt, and that the commission is proceeding with its preparations for the 2023 General Election in Enugu State and the entire country as scheduled.
INEC has faced multiple attacks in the buildup to the 2023 elections.
Last week, the commission warned that the general election faces serious threat of cancellation if insecurity is not properly tackled.
INEC Chairman, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, represented by the Chairman Board of Electoral Institute (BEI), Prof. Abdullahi Abdu Zuru, gave the warning at the Validation of Election Security Training Resources in Abuja.
However, the commission later gave assurances that the situation was under control.
The outlawed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) orchestrating violence in the South East has been blamed for the attacks in that region, but the group has denied this.
January 16, 2023
Police Reveal Identity of Imo INEC Office Attackers
The Imo State Police Command has said the attack on the headquarters of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in Owerri, the state capital, was carried out by gunmen suspected to be members of the proscribed Indigenous Peoples of Biafra (IPOB) and its affiliate, Eastern Security Network (ESN).
The Police Public Relations Officer in the state, Mike Abattam, made the confirmation in a statement on Tuesday.
Three gunmen and a policeman died in the attack carried out in the early hours of Monday. One other policeman was injured.
The PPRO, said one other policeman died from the attack.
Abattam said, “On 12/12/2022 at about 0330hours, armed bandits suspected to be members of the proscribed IPOB and its armed affiliate, ESN, in their numbers, came to the INEC’s office along Port-Harcourt Road, New Owerri, shooting sporadically, and threw improvised explosives into the premises of the INEC from a petroleum filling station that share fence with the commission.”
He added that, “At the INEC office, two offices were affected by the explosives and petrol bomb; however the main building remains intact.
“The corpses of the neutralized hoodlums and that of the two police operatives, who paid the supreme price, were evacuated and deposited at the Federal Medical Centre Owerri and another operative who sustained bullet wound on his leg was rushed to the hospital for treatment and is in stable condition.
“Meanwhile, concerted efforts are being made to arrest the fleeing suspects since they cannot go far, due to the various degrees of injuries they sustained in the gun duel.”
December 14, 2022
Ohanaeze knocks INEC over manipulation by politicians
Ohanaeze Ndigbo has blamed INEC for any manipulations they are experiencing from politicians, saying that they left openings for such manipulations.
The apex Igbo socio-cultural-cultural body said it would be unfortunate if despite all the opportunity and funds provided for INEC could not provide water-tight security for its vital materials.
“They are supposed to be the regulator. They are supposed to regulate the electoral process, and the Commission that is supposed to regulate the election is now complaining. Where are we going?
There should be a mechanism in place to ensure things work according.
“We are supposed to complain to them but now they are the ones complaining to us.
“There must be opening, that is why some of these things are happening.
“If indeed there is electronic model they are trying to use, of course these things will not be happening.
“There is opening for people to begin manipulating the 2023 election.Their body language is indicating that maybe they are going away to what they presented to the public.
“They are part of the problems for not providing proper mechanisms to avoid all these irregularities.
“That is exactly what they have been doing, what they in INEC for a very long time till now, and if with all the opportunity and money given to them, they have not been able to ensure a credible election and avoid irregularities; it is unfortunate”, Ohanaeze Ndigbo National Publicity Secretary, Dr. Alex Chidozie Ogbonnia said.
December 13, 2022
Another INEC Office Burnt To Ashes in Imo
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has said that its office in Oru West Local Government Area of Imo State has been set ablaze by arsonists.
The development comes two days after suspected arsonists razed another office of the commission in Orlu Local Government Area of Imo State.
On November 27, 2022, an INEC office in Izzi Local Government Area of Ebonyi State was set ablaze by unknown gunmen in Ebonyi State.
The National Commissioner and Chairman Information and Voter Education Committee, Festus Okoye, confirmed the latest incident in a statement on Sunday, December 4, 2022.
According to him, the Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) for Imo State, Prof. Sylvia Uchenna Agu, reported that the commission’s office in Oru West Local Government Area was attacked at about 4.00am on Sunday 4th December 2022.
“The attack affected the Conference Room where office furniture and fittings were destroyed. However, other critical facilities were not affected,” Okoye said.
He also recalled that on Thursday, December 1, 2022, INEC office in Orlu Local Government Area of Imo State was also attacked.
“Overall, this is the 7th 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.”
He said the attention of the security agencies had been drawn to this latest incident for investigation and prosecution.
December 4, 2022
Again, Hoodlums set INEC office ablaze in Ebonyi
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) office in Iboko, Izzi Local Government Area of Ebonyi State has been set ablaze.
According to the National Commissioner and Chairman Information and Voter Education Committee, Festus Okoye, the incident occurred on Sunday morning.
He said the Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) for Ebonyi State, Mrs Onyeka Pauline Ugochi, reported that that the incident occurred around 10.00am when some unidentified persons set the entire building ablaze.
According to him, although no casualties resulted from the attack, the main building and all the movable and immovable items inside it were destroyed.
“These include 340 ballot boxes, 130 voting cubicles, 14 electric power generators, large water storage tanks, assorted office furniture and fixtures and yet to be determined quantities of Permanent Voters’ Cards (PVCs),” Okoye said.
He lamented that this is the third attack on INEC Local Government office in less than three weeks following similar attacks on the commission’s offices in Ogun and Osun states on 10th November 2022.
He said that the attention of the Nigeria Police Force and other security agencies has been drawn to the incident and have commenced investigation.
November 29, 2022
CP Orders Investigation o Burnt INEC Office In Enugu
The Commissioner of Police, Enugu State Command, Mr Abubakar Lawal, has ordered the State Criminal Investigations Department to conduct a thorough investigation to establish the cause of the fire outbreak at Igbo-Eze North Local Government Area of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) Office, located at Ogrute in Enugu-Ezike community of the LGA, at about 11 pm on 03/06/2022.
In a release issued by the Police Spokesman in the state, DSP Daniel Ndukwe stated that “the fire, which was observed to have started from the back of the building, was put out by Police Operatives that swiftly mobilized to the scene on receipt of the information, with assistance from the personnel of Nsukka Office of Enugu State Fire Service, thereby averting further damage within the vicinity.”
Reports gathered that the office of the INEC in Ogurute, Igboeze North Local Government Secretariat, Enugu State was burnt down by fire on Sunday night.
Recall that recently the area had reportedly come under attack from gunmen, forcing the Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi-led State government to impose a 6 pm to 6 am curfew in both Igboeze North and Igboeze South Local Government Areas.
Heavy security operatives have also been moved to the area to check the invasion, although the attacks, however, had not stopped.
It was gathered that out of fear, the State fire Service which has an office at Ogurute could not move in until security was provided.
But by the time security was provided the fire had done much damage.
However, both fire trucks from Nsukka and Ogurute were mobilized and reportedly fought the fire most of the night preventing it from spreading further.
Lawal while assuring that the Command “will do all it can to unravel the cause of the incident and take necessary action,” urged residents of the area to support the Police with credible information and/or intelligence in the ongoing investigation.
Meanwhile, the area has been cordoned off for preservation and further investigative action.
July 4, 2022
Hoodlums raze Enugu INEC office
The office of the Independent National Electoral Commission INEC in Igboeze North Local Government Area of Enugu state was on Sunday night set ablaze by hoodlums, destroying about 748 ballot boxes and 240 voting cubicles in the process.
INEC National Commissioner in charge of Information and Voter Education Committee, Barr. Festus Okoye disclosed this in a statement issued Monday in Abuja.
The statement reads; “The Resident Electoral Commissioner for Enugu State, Mr. Emeka Ononamadu, reported that our Igboeze North Local Government Area office was set ablaze by unknown arsonists. The attack happened at 11.48pm on Sunday 3rd July 2022.
“The arsonists overpowered the security guards, forced their way into the premises and set the building ablaze. Although no casualties were reported, 748 ballot boxes, 240 voting cubicles, office furniture and equipment were destroyed in spite of the best effort of the Enugu State Fire Service deployed from Nsukka. The Commission is working to ascertain the status of voter registration machines for the ongoing Continuous Voter Registration (CVR) exercise as well as uncollected Permanent Voters Cards (PVCs) locked up in the fireproof cabinet.
“The incident has been reported to the Nigeria Police for investigation and further action.
“The attack, coming in the middle of the voter registration exercise and other preparations for 2023 General Election, is worrisome.
It will be recalled that on 23rd May 2021, our office in the neighbouring Igboeze South Local Government Area was attacked in a similar manner by unknown gunmen.
This followed earlier attacks on Udenu Local Government Area office on 13th May 2021 and the State Headquarters in Enugu on 16th May 2021.
The Commission has since substantially recovered from these attacks and resumed normal activities there, including the CVR and collection of PVCs.
“The Commission will continue to work with the security agencies and the emergency services to protect our facilities”.
July 4, 2022
Again, Gunmen Raze INEC Office In Anambra
The headquarters of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in Anambra State has been set ablaze by gunmen.
They also attempted to attack the Police ‘B’ Divisional Headquarters close to the INEC office but were repelled by the operatives on duty.
The office of the electoral umpire and the police station are both located in Awka, the state capital, in south-east Nigeria.
The incident, which occurred on Sunday, is the latest in the series of attacks on police facilities and INEC offices by hoodlums in recent times in the region.
The assailants had embarked on a mission to attack the police station to cause severe destruction, but it became an unsuccessful operation as the attempt was repelled by security operatives who engaged them in a fierce firefight, killing two of them in the process.
Although police authorities in the state confirmed the killing of two of the assailants during the gun battle, there was no information on whether or not any security operative was killed.
Eyewitnesses also said three Hilux vans fully packed with armed men stormed the police station and opened fire for more than one hour.
They were reported to have later proceeded to the Ekwueme Square axis and fired gunshots for another 10 minutes before storming the INEC headquarters and set it on fire.
Following the incidents, authorities in the state have appealed to residents to avoid some routes.
They included the Roban Road, Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Road, Arroma Road, and Ifite Road – all in the state capital.
May 24, 2021
BREAKING: Again, Two INEC offices set ablaze in Ebonyi
Two offices of the Independent National Electoral Commission in Ebonyi State have been set ablaze by unidentified persons.
The offices are located in Ebonyi and Ezza North Local Government Areas of the state.
It was gathered that no casualties were recorded but there were extensive damages to the building and facilities.
The Commission is yet to issue a full statement on the incident.
The latest attack brings the number of offices of the Commission that have been torched to 23.
This is coming weeks after the commission’s offices in Akwa Ibom, Abia, Anambra, Enugu and Imo were also razed by unknown hoodlums.
May 19, 2021
BREAKING: Midnight Fire Guts INEC office in Enugu
The office of the Independent National Electoral Commission in Obollo-Afor, Udenu local government area of Enugu State has been razed down by midnight fire.
The cause of the fire, which was said to have occurred late on Thursday is not known yet.
The police confirmed the fire incident In a statement by the Enugu police spokesman, Daniel Ndukwe, titled, ‘Fire incident at INEC office in Obollo-Afor: CP orders the conduct of the thorough investigation to ascertain the cause of the fire outbreak and damages incurred’.
The statement noted that the combined effort of the state fire service, residents, and security agents prevented the fire from razing other offices.
The statement read in part, “Following a distress call received at Udenu Police Divisional Headquarters of Enugu State Command on 13/05/2021 at about 2140hrs, alleging that there was fire outbreak at the Obollo-Afor Office of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in Udenu L.G.A. of the State,
“Operatives attached to the Division immediately raced to the scene, while contacting Fire Service Office in the area to promptly put out the fire.
“Preliminary investigation suggests that the fire, which was eventually put out before it could spread to other offices around the building, through the combined efforts of the State Fire Service, the Police and law-abiding citizens, may have been caused by power surge due to sudden power supply to the building.
“Meanwhile, the Commissioner of Police, Mohammed Aliyu, has ordered the cordoning off of the scene and launch of thorough investigation to further ascertain the actual cause of the fire outbreak and damages incurred.”
May 14, 2021