Gunmen in Anambra murder a teenager and destroy 1,240 INEC materials.

The Independent National Electoral Commission’s Ojoto office is in the Idemili South Local Government Area of Anambra State, and has been assaulted by several perpetrators who have not yet been named.

The Nnobi Police Station and a residential structure at the station were also assaulted by the thugs.
In the Idemili South LGA are the two towns of Ojoto and Nnobi.

According to MINIECHAT, four unmarked Sienna vans driven by the shooters entered both locations on Wednesday approximately 1.45 am.
They allegedly carried explosives such as petrol bombs.

Before entering the police station, where they murdered the adolescent boy and wounded a second female, the hoodlums allegedly set fire to the INEC office.

Security personnel are credited for driving away the criminals before they could assault the police station again.

DSP Tochukwu Ikenga, the Anambra State Police Public Relations Officer, confirmed the occurrence and said that the area’s security had been increased.

Ikenga said that in order to prevent assaults on other locations, the command heavily deployed security troops around the state.

He said, “Today, February 1, 2023, the Anambra State Police Command strengthened security deployment in the state as a result of an assault on the INEC office in Idemili South, Ojoto, and Nnobi Police Station.

“By 1.45am today, February 1, 2023, the hoodlums arrived in large numbers in four unmarked Siena cars, carrying IEDs, petrol bombs, and other explosives. They broke into the INEC office, the police station, and a residence there.

“Unfortunately, one lad, age 16, who was a relative of a station employee who was a police officer was killed by the armed guys, and the other, a girl, age 15, was shot and wounded. She has been transported to a hospital, where medical care is being provided. Further information will be supplied, kindly, while the issue is being watched.

Festus Okoye, National Commissioner and Chairman of INEC’s Information and Voter Education Committee, responded to the incident by claiming that the thugs burned no less than 1,240 non-sensitive papers.

As this is the third incident in Anambra State in the previous four years, INEC has documented over 50 attacks on its infrastructure in 15 states.

In a statement released by the commission, Okoye disclosed that its premises had suffered damage and that non-sensitive goods that had just been brought in preparation for the 2023 general elections had been destroyed.

Elections will still go place in the LGA, according to INEC, who claimed that the Permanent Voter Cards stored in the fireproof cabinet were unaffected.

The following is an excerpt from the statement: “The Resident Electoral Commissioner for Anambra State, Dr. Queen Agwu, stated that our office in the Idemili South Local Government Area was assaulted and set on fire by unidentified gunmen. The event took place this morning, February 1, 2023, in the early hours.

“The structure suffered serious damage. In preparation for the general elections in 2023, all furniture and other furnishings, including freshly arrived non-sensitive goods, were destroyed. The flames also destroyed 729 vote boxes, 243 polling booths, 256 election bags, 11 megaphones, a power generator, and a lot of liquid gum and permanent ink.

“However, the fire had no effect on the uncollected Permanent Voter Cards that were housed in the safe cabinet. No delicate items have been been delivered to the LGA office.

“The assault on the Nnobi Police Station in the LGA was identical, therefore it looks that the devastation was coordinated.”

Miniechat

See author's posts