The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) says its Gwadabawa Local Government Area office in Sokoto State has been gutted by fire which destroyed ballot boxes and other materials.
Mr Sam Olumekun, National Commissioner and Chairman Information and Voter Education Committee, said this on Friday in a statement.
According to him, at its regular weekly meeting held on Thursday, the commission took note of a sad incident of fire outbreak in the Gwadabawa Local Government Area office in Sokoto State as reported by the Administrative Secretary in charge of the State office, Mrs. Hauwa Aliyu Kangiwa.
He said that the fire started in the early hours of Tuesday, February 11, 2025.
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“The entire building was damaged. Items destroyed include furniture and fixtures as well as movable electoral facilities, among them 558 ballot boxes, 186 voting enclosures (cubicles), 186 election bags and various Registration Area Centre (RAC) materials such as 12 large water tanks (1,000 litres), 400 sleeping mats and 300 plastic buckets.
“Preliminary report from our state office indicates that there was a sudden surge from public power supply before the incident,” Olumekun said.
He, however, said the actual cause of the fire outbreak was being investigated by the security and safety agencies, adding that no injuries or fatalities were recorded.
He said the commission was making efforts to find an alternative, temporary facility in the local government area so its activities would not be completely disrupted.
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