The Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, says fifty percent of the non-sensitive materials for the November sixth Anambra State governorship election already delivered to the state were lost in fire that rocked the INEC office in Awka on Sunday.

 

In a statement signed by the National Commissioner and Chairman Information and Voter Education Committee, Barrister Festus Okoye, after an emergency session yesterday, said the attackers were systematic and selective in their targets.

 

The statement counted the pavilion which serves as Collation Centre during major elections, two stores housing electoral materials, three hundred and seventy six new and old but serviceable electric generating machines for all the Electoral wards as well as seven utility vehicles as some of the property lost to the fire.

 

It however, cleared that the Smart Card Readers were not affected.

 

Similarly, INEC office in Ahiazu Mbaise Local Government Area was also attacked but the damage was limited to a section of the building, specifically the windows and part of the roof.

 

No electoral materials or office equipment were destroyed.

 

However in Enugu State, the Igboeze South LGA office was attacked and the store was completely burnt down before the Enugu State Fire Service responded and prevented the inferno from razing other parts of the building.

 

The statement recalled that this is the third attack on INEC facilities in the State in less than two weeks following the destruction of the Udenu Local Government Area office on 13th May 2021 and the State Headquarters building in Enugu on 16th May 2021.

 

It said all three incidents in Anambra, Imo and Enugu have been reported to the Police for investigation.