Men wearing Biafra camouflages bomb INEC headquarters in the third attack in Imo in 11 days
By Jeph Ajobaju, Chief Copy Editor
Men dressed in Biafra camouflages bombed the Imo headquarters of Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in Owerri in the wee hours of Monday, throwing grenades through the fence to destroy several offices and vehicles.
The heavy bombardment of the office located on the Owerri-Port Hacourt road alerted police officers stationed there who engaged the gunmen in a shoot out which led to the death of three of the gunmen who wore charms and Biafra camouflages.
State INEC Public Relations Officer Chinenye Chijioke-Osuji confirmed the attack to The Nation.
This is third attack on INEC facilities in Imo this month alone, coming after those on December 1 and 4, and more than five additional vandalisation targeting the electoral umpire in five states in the past four months.
Hoodlums on December 1, vandalised INEC Orlu Council office and December 4, launched another attack on Orlu West Council office, both in Imo; besides attacks in Ogun, Osun, and Ebonyi within three weeks in November.
INEC has lamented there have been 50 attacks overall on its offices across 21 states.
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ECOWAS looks up to Nigeria for democracy, but INEC repeats warning about violence
“INEC has become an inspiration to other countries in the region,” Giovanie Biha, head of Delegation and Deputy Special Representative of the UN Secretary-General for West Africa and the Sahel and Officer in Charge of UNOWAS said last week.
There is a lot to do in deepening democratic governance in ECOWAS, hence the success of Nigeria’s vote is crucial, he stressed at a meeting of United Nations Office for West Africa and the Sahel (UNOWAS) with the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in Abuja.
However, INEC Chairman Mahmood Yakubu repeated warning it is impossible to conduct elections and electoral activities successfully in an atmosphere of violence.
He said electoral commissions in West Africa and beyond have expressed concern over the impact of insecurity on elections, banditry, and other forms of armed conflict.
Because of this, he added, a conference of electoral commissions and election experts would hold last week in Ouagadougou, involving host Burkina Faso and Benin Republic, Mali, Niger, Nigeria, Senegal, and Togo from West Africa; as well as the Central African Republic and Democratic Republic of Congo from Central Africa.
“These are critical conditions for peace. Election management bodies are major beneficiaries of your work. This is because elections and electoral activities cannot be successfully conducted in an atmosphere of violence,” Yakubu stressed.
“For this reason, INEC always appreciates the role of UNOWAS in our sub-region and the Sahel.”