Unknwon thugs set ablaze INEC Office, damage buildings, ballot boxes in Enugu  

Thugs on Monday invaded the office of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in Enugu State, burning down the structures, damaging ballot boxes.

INEC National Commissioner, and Chairman of the Information and Voter Education Committee, Festus Okoye, in a statement on Monday, indicated  that the Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) for Enugu State, Emeka Ononamadu, reported that INEC’s Igboeze North Local Government Area office had been burnt. The REC, he said, narrated that the invasion of the office occurred at about 11.48pm on Sunday.

The thugs were said to have overwhelmed the security men before invading the premises and burnt the building.

The thugs were said to have destroyed 748 ballot boxes, 240 voting cubicles, office furniture and equipment.  The Enugu State Fire Service was mobilized from Nsukka to extinguish the inferno.

Okoye assured that the INEC is assessing the damage to ascertain the status of voter registration machines for the ongoing Continuous Voter Registration (CVR) exercise, including uncollected Permanent Voters Cards (PVCs) locked up in the fireproof cabinet.

The INEC Commissioner said that the invasion has been reported to the Nigeria Police for investigation and further action.