ESN/IPOB men set INEC office in Imo ablaze

The office of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in Orlu LGA of Imo state has been set ablaze by hoodlums suspected to be members of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) group or the Eastern Security Network (ESN), kidnapping some construction workers who were later rescued.

Festus Okoye, INEC’s national commissioner and chairman, information and voter education committee, made this known in a statement on Friday.

The Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) for Imo State, Professor Sylvia Uchenna Agu, said, “Our office in Orlu Local Government Area was attacked. The incident occurred yesterday Thursday 1st December 2022.

“The building, which is undergoing extensive renovation following an earlier attack, was vandalised and partially set ablaze. Three out of seven construction workers were abducted but later released,” Okoye said.

He said the damage would have been more extensive barring the response of the police personnel who were quick in mobilising their men to the scene.

This is the fourth attack on an INEC office within the past three weeks.

INEC offices in Osun, Ogun, and Ebonyi were recently set ablaze, with thousands of permanent voter cards (PVCs), ballot boxes, and other election materials destroyed.

READ ALSO: Ogun INEC office set ablaze by hoodlums

“This is one attack too many. The Commission once again expresses its concern over the spate of attacks on its facilities and the negative consequences on our preparations for the 2023 General Election,” Okoye added.

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