Kehinde Fajobi
A fire outbreak on Monday destroyed key election materials at the Ika North East Local Government Area office of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in Owa-Oyibu, Delta State.
The incident, reportedly caused by a power surge following the restoration of electricity, was confirmed by INEC’s National Commissioner and Chairman of the Information and Voter Education Committee, Sam Olumekun, in a statement on Tuesday.
According to Delta State Resident Electoral Commissioner Etekamba Umoren, the blaze gutted the office’s stores section, which housed critical materials.
Items lost include 706 ballot boxes, 50 election bags, 322 apron vests, three electric generators, 140 stamps, and 50 ballot box seals.
Various envelopes, posters, forms, and booklets were also destroyed.
Olumekun said, “The Commission held its regular meeting today, Tuesday, 3rd December 2024. Among other issues, the meeting noted a preliminary report from the Resident Electoral Commissioner for Delta State, Etekamba Udo Umoren, on a fire incident at our Ika North East Local Government Area office in Owa-Oyibu town.
“The report indicates that the incident occurred in the afternoon of Monday, 2nd December 2024, as a result of a sudden power surge following the restoration of the public power supply.
“The stores section, where petrol generators and other items were kept, was completely razed.”
Olumekun also confirmed that no injuries or fatalities were recorded. The Commission has alerted security agencies and emergency services to conduct a thorough investigation into the fire.
“Fortunately, there were no injuries or fatalities. The incident has been reported to the security agencies and emergency services for a thorough investigation,” he added.
INEC also expressed gratitude to the Nigeria Police Force and the Delta State Fire Service for their swift response.
The Ika North East LGA office serves 14 Registration Areas, 238 Polling Units, and 131,747 registered voters in Delta State.