Angry youths in Benue State have set ablaze the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) office in Sankara, the headquarters of Ukum Local Government Area.
The Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) for the state, Sam Egwu, informed the INEC headquarters in Abuja that the incident occurred at 2 pm on Wednesday, July 3.
According to a statement by INEC on Wednesday, signed by the National Commissioner and Chairman, Information and Voter Education, Sam Olumekun, the incident happened when the youths in the area said to be protesting against the activities of bandits attacked government facilities, including INEC.
” Although no casualties were reported, the building has been extensively damaged. Office furniture and other movable and immovable materials, including 10 electric generators, 300 ballot boxes and 270 voting cubicles, were destroyed in the attack.
“The attention of security agencies has been drawn to the incident and they have already deployed their personnel to the area,” the INEC commissioner stated.
Meanwhile, the Benue state governor, Hyacinth Alia, has imposed a 24-hour curfew on the affected local government.
The protest and curfew followed the Tuesday, July 2, attack on on Ayati community in Borikyo Council Ward of the LGA by suspected armed bandits. The attack claimed about 11 lives and left others with severe injuries.
The attack resulted in protests by the youths of the area who took over and made bonfires on the Sankera – Ayati-Sai road.
