Why youth torched INEC office in Imo

Eye witnesses are beginning to shed light on why angry youths set ablaze the office of the Independent National Electoral Commission in Umuneke Ngor, Ngor Okpala local government area of Imo State on Sunday.

The incident happened when security personnel arrived to take away election results of the just concluded Governorship and State Assembly elections from the local government area to Owerri collation centre without first announcing it.

According to the eyewitness who preferred not to be mentioned, the crowd grew angry when the security personnel refused to provide any form of identification before taking the results.

The  election results were however, unaffected by the fire as confirmed by an INEC official who pleaded anonymity.

A resident of the area, Mr Chidi Amadi, told  NAN the people saw the move to return the results to Owerri before announcing them, as a possible way of influencing the outcome.

According to him, the people acted to protest what they perceived to be a fraud.

The Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO) in the state, Orlando Ikeokwu confirmed the incident to newsmen in Owerri.

Ikeokwu said that the Police command in the state had commenced investigation into the matter adding that perpetrators of the dastardly act would be punished accordingly.

Head of Department of Voter Education in INEC, Mr Sunday Adedoyin told journalists that the commission had reported the matter to its headquarters in Abuja.