Gunmen Attack: INEC Suspends Registration of Voters in Igboeze, Enugu State

Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, has suspended all voter registration activities in Igboeze North local government of Enugu State, following constant attacks on its staff by unknown gunmen.

 

Newsonline reports that INEC said the decision to suspend further registration at Igboeze was to save the lives of its staff who have become targets of gunmen.

 

Unknown gunmen on Wednesday attacked officials of the Independent National Electoral Commission involved in the Continuous Voter Registration (CVR) at Community Primary School, Umuopu, in Umuozzi Ward 19 of the Igboeze North Local Government Area (LGA) in Enugu State.

 

According to the Commission’s Administrative Secretary, Jude Okwuonu, “the gunmen fired sporadically into the air to disperse registrants and registration officials.

 

“In the ensuing stampede, one staff of the Commission sustained injuries and was taken to the hospital for treatment. Two voter registration machines and personal items of staff such as mobile phones were lost.”

 

READ ALSO: 2023 Results Will Be Uploaded To Website Direct From Each Polling Unit – INEC

 

The latest attack is coming on the heels of an earlier attack by unknown gunmen, who set the Commission’s office ablaze at 11.48 pm on 4th July in the same Igboeze North LGA.

 

The gunmen were reported to have overpowered the security guards and forced their way into the premises before setting the building there ablaze.

 

The Commission said it lost 784 ballot boxes, 240 voting cubicles, office furniture and equipment in the process.

 

It will be recalled that on 23rd May 2021, the Commission’s office at Igboeze South LGA was attacked in a similar manner by unknown gunmen.