Fears over 2023 polls in Nigeria as fire guts 19 INEC offices

AT least, 19 offices of the Independent National Electoral Commission have been gutted by fire in the last two years, findings by The Punch have revealed.

A breakdown of the fire incidents showed that the most affected states include Akwa Ibom (four), Abia (three) Anambra (two) and Imo (two).

Other states that witnessed fire incidents between February 2019 and May 2021 are Borno, Ebonyi, Jigawa, Kano, Ondo, Plateau and Rivers. Abuja was also affected.

It was learnt that while 11 offices were burnt down by hoodlums, eight others were gutted by fire under mysterious circumstances or by electrical fault.

In all cases, however, no one has been prosecuted for the vandalism and arson.

Also, the financial implication of such destruction has never been revealed. However, calculations by The Punch showed that the destruction could run into billions of naira.

INEC’s spokesperson, Festus Okoye has lamented the damaging impact of such attacks on Nigeria’s democratic exercise and electoral assets.

-Punch