Heavily armed mobile police men have been deployed to barricade the head Office of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in Enugu State where not less than eight vehicles were burnt while six others were damaged during an attack on the office by some unidentified people.
The latest attack on the INEC headquarters in Enugu which took place on Sunday morning came few days after the office of the commission at Udenu Local Government Area of the state was razed by unknown hoodlums.
Daily Trust reporter, who visited the Enugu office of INEC on Monday, observed that the arsonists attempted to burn the entire building but were stopped by security operatives who were swiftly drafted to assist the ones on duty.
It was gathered that the attackers who were about 20 in a Mini-Bus stormed the premises of the commission located near Enugu State Broadcasting Service at Independence Layout Enugu.
The State INEC Resident Electoral Commissioner, Dr Emeka Ononamadu, who confirmed the incident, said some vehicles in the premises were affected but the office buildings were saved.
Also, the National Commissioner and Chairman of Information and Voter Education Committee in INEC, Festus Okoye, said the unidentified persons overpowered the security personnel on duty and tried to set the entire building ablaze.
He restated that the spate of attacks on the commission’s facilities portends danger to national electoral activities, adding that the commission will be holding an emergency meeting with the Resident Electoral Commissioners on Wednesday, 19th May, 2021.
The Enugu State Police Command, which also confirmed the attack in a statement by its spokesman, Daniel Ndukwe, stated that the attempt to set the building ablaze was stiffly resisted by joint security operatives.