JUST IN: Hoodlums Set Ogun INEC Office On Fire
The Independent National Electoral Commission headquarters was set on fire at Iyana Mortuary ll in Abeokuta, the capital of Ogun State, early on Thursday.
According to information obtained by our correspondent, a group of thugs, estimated to number eight, stormed the surrounding gate, got onto the property, and lit the INEC building on fire from behind.
In order to light up the INEC office, it was learned that the thugs soaked bread loaves in gasoline after breaking into the building and tossed the mixture into the structure at various angles.
Further information revealed that Azeez Hamzat, a security guard at the institution, had called the police in a distress call at around 1am to inform them of the fire situation.
The police from Ibara division reportedly mobilised detectives to the scene and later contacted men of fire service in the state , who raced to the scene to put out the fire.
When contacted, the Ogun INEC Resident Electoral Commissioner, Niyi Ijalaye confirmed the incident, describing it as shocking.
The REC said 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).”
A source in the INEC hinted that the store, the Registration Area Officer’s office, and the conference room were affected by the inferno.
The source also told our correspondent that non-sensitive materials were also affected by the fire.
“No life was lost and no injury was sustained in the fire,” the source disclosed.
The Ogun State Police Public Relations Officer, Abimbola Oyeyemi, could not be reached for comments as of the time of filing this report.
