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The office of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in Ika north-east LGA of Delta state has been gutted by fire.
Sam Olumekun, national commissioner and chairman of the information & voter education committee, confirmed the incident in a statement on Tuesday.
He said INEC received a preliminary report from Etekamba Umoren, the Delta state resident electoral commissioner (REC), on the fire incident.
Olumekun said the incident occurred on Monday due to a sudden power surge following the restoration of public electricity.
“The stores section where petrol generators and other items were kept was completely razed,” the statement reads.
“Items destroyed in the inferno include 706 ballot boxes, 50 election bags, 322 apron vests, three electric power generators, 140 stamps, 50 ballot box seals and assorted items such as envelopes, posters, forms and booklets.
“Fortunately, there were no injuries or fatalities. The incident has been reported to the security agencies and emergency services for a thorough investigation.
“The Commission appreciates the cooperation of the Nigeria Police Force and the Delta State Fire Service for their response.
“Ika North East is one of our 25 LGA offices in Delta State with 14 Registration Areas (Wards), 238 Polling Units and 131,747 registered voters.”
