The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) at Iyana Mortuary, Abeokuta, Ogun State, has been set ablaze by suspected hoodlums.
According to the report, the hoodlums, numbering about eight, had jumped over the fence into the premises and set fire to the INEC building. They reportedly soaked loaves of bread with gasoline and threw them into the building.
Read Also: Investors Meet Ogun Government Over Oil Refinery Project
It was gathered that the hoodlums after invading the premises, soaked loaves of bread with petrol and threw same into the building at different angles to light up the INEC office.
It was also learned that a security guard at the facility, identified as Azeez Hamzat, had made a distress call to the police around 1 a.m., alerting them to the fire incident.
The police from Ibara division reportedly dispatched detectives to the scene and later contacted men from the state’s fire service, who rushed to the scene to extinguish the fire.
When contacted, the Ogun INEC Resident Electoral Commissioner, Niyi Ijalaye confirmed the incident, describing it as shocking.
The REC stated that the situation was still being assessed.
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).”
