Gunmen on Sunday night launched yet another deadly attack on lndependent National Electoral Commission (INEC) office in the Southeast, this time on Enugu South Local Government Area facility.
One of the two policemen deployed to secure the facility, however, lost his life in the attack.
INEC’s National Commissioner for Information, Mr Festus Okoye, said but for the swift response of the Police and Army personnel from the 82 Division who repelled the attack, the gunmen would have gained access to the main building and possibly raze it.
He said the Resident Electoral Commissioner, Dr Chukwuemeka J. Chukwu, had reported that the attack occurred on Sunday, January 15 at about 9:12pm.
“The security gatehouse was razed. Fortunately, the attackers could not gain access to the main building as a result of the rapid response from the Police and Army personnel from the 82 Division.
“The State Commissioner of Police and the REC were personally at the scene immediately after they received information about the attack. Of the two Policemen deployed to protect the facility, one of them lost his life while the other sustained injuries and is receiving treatment,” Okoye said in a statement obtained by Persecondnews on Monday in Abuja.
The commissioner, however, restated the commission’s resolve to continue with preparation towards the general elections in Enugu State and the entire country as scheduled.
“Meanwhile, the destroyed gatehouse will be rebuilt, and the Commission is proceeding with its preparations for the 2023 General Election in Enugu State and the entire country as scheduled.”
Persecondnews had reported that INEC Chairman, Prof. Mamood Yakubu had warned that the 2023 election might be postponed or cancelled if the worsening insecurity is not contained.
The commission called on various security agencies at the Validation of Election Security Training Resources in Abuja last week Monday, to come up with security strategies to protect electoral officials, sensitive materials, as well as the general public.
But the Minister of Information, Lai Mohammed and the Department of State Service (DSS), ostensibly on the prompting of President Muhammadu Buhari, had responded, assuring that the February 25 and March 11 polls will be held as scheduled as adequate security would be provided across the country.
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