VOLUME: 2 N0: 142 DATE: 17TH MAY 2021
INEC HOLDS EMERGENCY MEETING WITH RECs, ICCES OVER ATTACKS AT ITS FACILITIES
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has scheduled emergency meeting on Wednesday May 19 2021 with Resident Electoral Commissioners (RECs) and Heads of Security agencies under the auspices of the Inter-Agency Consultative Committee on Election Security (ICCES), to discuss emerging attacks on its facilities. The meetings will be holding against the backdrop of persistent attacks on the offices and facilities of the Commission in various parts of the country.
Chairman of the Information and Voter Education Committee (IVEC), Festus Okoye Esq., confirmed the meeting and the concern of the Commission today in a statement issued after the latest attack on the Commission’s Head office in Enugu state.
Okoye said that the REC in Enugu state, Emeka Ononamadu, reported that some unidentified persons yesterday, overpowered the security personnel on duty around 9.00pm and tried to set the entire building ablaze.
But for the timely intervention of the security agencies, and the Federal Fire Service, the damage would have been worse. He said “the attention of the security agencies as well as the Federal and State Fire Services in Enugu was drawn to the unfolding situation and they responded swiftly”.
Addressing the extent of damage done, the IVEC Chairman said “the attackers set the foyer ablaze, vandalised some offices in the main building and caused extensive damage to some of the Commission’s movable assets within the premises”.
“Six (6) utility pick up vehicles (Toyota Hilux) were burnt down while two (2) more were smashed and damaged. The security agencies who were at the scene have commenced investigation”, he added.
He added that “as we categorically mentioned in our earlier statements, the spate of attacks on the Commission’s facilities portends danger to national electoral activities.
“The Commission is holding an emergency meeting with the Resident Electoral Commissioners (RECs) on Wednesday 19th May 2021 and further statement will be released ahead of another emergency meeting with heads of all the security agencies in the country under the auspices of the Inter-Agency Consultative Committee on Election Security (ICCES)”.
The latest attack on the Enugu state head office of the Commission makes it the fourth in the last one month. The Commission has, however, expressed its resolve to continue with its various programmes, determined to continue with activities designed to improve the electoral system in the country.
Editor-in-Chief: Nick Dazang
Editor: Andy Ezeani
Reporters: Nathaniel Audu Gana
Technical Support: Bala Ato Agyo