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Fire razes INEC office in Ondo, destroys smart card readers, others
With just one month to the Ondo State governorship election, fire on Thursday evening razed the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) headquarters in Akure, the state capital.
The Chief Press Secretary to the INEC Chairman, Rotimi Oyekanmi, who confirmed the incident in a statement, said several smart card readers were destroyed by the inferno.
He added that the fire also destroyed some items in a section of the office.
However, the cause of the fire has not been ascertained at the time of filing this report.
Oyekanmi said: “Fire broke out today (Thursday) September 10, 2020, at the Ondo State Head Office of the Independent National Electoral Commission in Akure.
READ ALSO: One die, several others injured as APC, ZLP supporters clash in Ondo
“The inferno, which gutted the container housing Smart Card Readers, started at 7:30 p.m. Men of the Fire Service are however currently containing the fire.
“INEC National Commissioner and Chairman of its Information and Voter Education Committee, Festus Okoye, who is in Ondo State for preparations for the Ondo State Governorship election scheduled for October 10, 2020, rushed to the office at about 8:00 p.m.
“The Administrative Secretary of the State, Mr. Popoola, and some staff of the commission are also there.
“Okoye said an investigation into the cause of the fire will commence promptly after the fire has been contained.”
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