News
1,993 ballot boxes, 399 cubicles destroyed by criminals in four states – INEC
The Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof Mahmood Yakubu, said on Wednesday a total of 1,993 ballot boxes and 399 voting cubicles, among others had been destroyed during attacks on the commission’s facilities in the last months.
Yakubu, who disclosed this at an induction retreat for new Resident Electoral Commissioners in Lagos State, said the affected facilities were located in Enugu, Ogun, Osun, and Ebonyi State.
He, however, expressed optimism that the attacks would not stop the conduct of the 2023 elections.
Gunmen last Sunday set ablaze the INEC office in the Izzi local government area of Ebonyi State and destroyed 340 ballot boxes and an unspecified number of Permanent Voters’ Cards (PVCs) in the attack.
Yakubu said: “In the last four months, five local government area offices of the commission were attacked by yet unknown persons. Buildings have been destroyed and materials lost in Udenu and Igboeze North local areas of Enugu State, Abeokuta South local government of Ogun State, Ede South local government area of Osun State, and, most recently, in Izzi local government area of Ebonyi State.
READ ASLO: Police arrests security guard over Ebonyi INEC office attack
“In these mindless attacks, a total of 1,993 ballot boxes, 399 voting cubicles, 22 electric power generators, and thousand of uncollected PVCs were, among other materials, destroyed.
“I want to reassure Nigerians that we will recover from these attacks. The lost materials will be replaced but there is a limit to our ability to keep replacing destroyed materials with just 86 days to the general elections.
“The security agencies, traditional and community leaders, and all well-meaning Nigerians should continue to support the commission to stop the attacks. But the ultimate solution is arrest and prosecution so that vandals and arsonists do not feel that bad behaviour is an acceptable conduct in our country.”
Join the conversation
Support Ripples Nigeria, hold up solutions journalism
Balanced, fearless journalism driven by data comes at huge financial costs.
As a media platform, we hold leadership accountable and will not trade the right to press freedom and free speech for a piece of cake.
If you like what we do, and are ready to uphold solutions journalism, kindly donate to the Ripples Nigeria cause.
Your support would help to ensure that citizens and institutions continue to have free access to credible and reliable information for societal development.
INVESTIGATION: In Kwara, multimillion-naira milk processing plant is abandoned, converted to a chicken outlet
After the government spent millions of naira to establish a milk processing plant in Kwara State that would provided jobs...
SPECIAL REPORT: For Sokoto communities, promise of healthcare is akin to death sentence
In this story, ABDULRASHEED HAMMAD delves into the dire realities of Primary Health Care services in Sokoto State, shedding light...
ICYMI…SPECIAL REPORT: NNPCL hides behind PIA to frustrate disclosure, accountability
Nigeria’s major oil company, Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation Limited (NNPCL), in what appears to be a common practice of disregard...
INVESTIGATION: Multi-million naira Ekiti resort center remains uncompleted a decade after
The multimillion-naira project, expected to comprise recreational buildings, now consists of cassava farmland, a bush used for excretion, and a...
SPECIAL REPORT: Torturous experiences of students with disabilities in Oyo tertiary institutions
For students with disabilities in Oyo state-owned tertiary institutions, learning is a torturous and distressing experience, considering the building structures...