INEC cries out over fire incidents in its offices

- INEC has raised alarm about fire incidents destroying its offices and election materials

- An INEC office in Plateau state was burnt to the ground barely days after the fire incident in its office in Abia

- The commission said it has invited police to look into the fire incidents and provide adequate security

After mysterious fire burnt down two offices of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in Abia and Plateau states, the commission has raised alarm over how election materials including Permanent Voters' Cards, were destroyed in the fire.

In a statement signed by the chairman of information and voter education committee of INEC, Festus Okoye, the commission, said it has written to the police to request adequate help in investigating the source of the fire as well as security for the offices.

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Read INEC full statement below:

"The fire incident that occurred at the Qua’an Pan local government office of the commission in Plateau state on Saturday 9th February 2019 is the second of such incidents in less than a week. The first incident occurred in Isiala Ngwa south local government office of the Commission in Abia state on Saturday 2nd February.

Some of the items destroyed in Isiala Ngwa south local government include 2979 Permanent Voters’ Cards (PVCs) and other materials. At the Qua’an Pan office, items destroyed include 5987 uncollected Permanent Voters’ Cards (PVCs), 380 Voting Cubicles, 755 ballot boxes, 14 generators, election forms and official stamps.

The commission has notified the Acting Inspector General of Police of the emerging trend of the burning of the local government Offices of the commission close to the conduct of the elections and at a period when the commission is engaged in the massive movement of election related materials nationwide.

In view of these developments, the commission has taken the following steps:

1. Notified the Inspector General of Police of this new trend and requested that additional security measures be provided to enhance security around INEC Offices and other critical structures of the Commission.

2. Directed the Resident Electoral Commissioner for Plateau State to open a register for all those in the affected Local Government Area who approach the Commission to collect their PVCs within the specified period. The Commission will print the PVCs and make them available for collection in good time before the elections.

3. Reprinted and delivered the Permanent Voters’ Cards of the affected registered voters in Isiala Ngwa South in Abia state.

4. Made temporary arrangements for the relocation of the burnt offices of the Commission. The said offices will be ready for the conduct of the February 16 and March 2, 2019 elections.

5. The Commission will proceed as planned in the affected local government areas and all the burnt materials will be replaced in good time and as such will not affect the conduct of the elections.

All relevant security agencies have been requested to arrest and bring to justice, persons or groups involved in the attacks on the offices of the Commission.

The two fire incidents did not affect the Smart Card Readers that are presently being configured in the respective state offices of the Commission.

The Commission wishes to assure all Nigerians that it will not succumb to the antics of arsonists whose motive might be to create fear in the minds of voters and sabotage the conduct of the 2019 general elections."

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Meanwhile, Legit.ng earlier reported that the Inspector General of Police Mohammed Adamu has ordered a comprehensive water-tight and round-the-clock security for all INEC offices and facilities nationwide few days to the 2019 general elections.

According to the statement by the police, all commissioners of police in the 36 states of the federation and FCT have been directed to put in place adequate security arrangements aimed at protecting all INEC offices and materials from all forms of crimes and mischief - before, during and after the elections.

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Source: Legit.ng