Ogun INEC Office Set Ablaze By Hoodlums

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) facility at Iyana, Abeokuta, the Ogun State capital, has been burnt down by yet-to-be-identified hoodlums.

Reports obtained by Naija News on Thursday morning said the hoodlums, numbering about eight, forcefully invaded the commission’s office at midnight and set the building on fire from the back.

One of the security guards, Azeez Hamzat, who explained the situation to the Daily Post this morning, revealed that the hoodlums scaled through the fence, soaked loaves of bread with petrol and threw the same into the building at different angles to light up the INEC office.

He contacted the police around 1 a.m. when he noticed the facility was on fire. Naija News learnt that the police from the Ibara division responded swiftly to the incident by mobilizing detectives to the scene, but damages had been done before their arrival.

The state fire service officials reportedly arrived soon to put out the fire at the scene. It was gathered that the store, the Registration Area Officer’s office and the conference room were affected by the inferno.

Reports also had it that non-sensitive materials were affected by the fire. “No life was lost and no injury was sustained in the fire,” said another source who spoke with the news platform.

I Do Not Know What To Say – Ogun REC Expresses Shock

Reacting to the event, the Ogun INEC Resident Electoral Commissioner, Niyi Ijalaye, said it was shocking to see know that hoodlums attacked the facility.

Ijalaye, however, assured that security agencies are making effort to fish out the perpetrators while the commission would ensure its remaining materials are safe ahead of the 2023 polls.

He said: “It is correct that our office was set on fire. The police are investigating. I do not know what to say. I’m in shock myself. We called the police and other security agencies at night. The fire brigade put the situation under control. The level of damage is still being assessed.

“It is very shocking and untoward. The security agencies are doing their very best. We are meeting again later today to come up with other strategies (toward securing our facilities).”