Security personnel, including the Army and Department of State Services (DSS), have been deployed to offices of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in Imo State.
The move became necessary following the frequency of attacks on the Commission’s facilities in the state.
INEC’s Resident Electoral Commissioner in Imo, Professor Sylvia Agu announced the deployments during a television programme.
The development came barely 24 hours after hoodlums attacked and vandalised the INEC office in Isu Local Government Area, marking the fourth of such incidents in Imo in less than three weeks.
Other attacks were recorded in the Orlu and Oru West LGAs as well as the state headquarters in Owerri.
“Security men have been deployed, stationed in those areas,” Professor Agu announced.
“At the headquarters, we have the army, the Civil Defence, and the DSS. In the various local governments, we are using vigilante groups; we are using Ebubeagu group too and we have 100% assurance from the security men – not just giving us the assurance, they are already on the ground.”
She said permanent voter cards (PVCs) and other sensitive materials were not affected, adding that the distribution of PVCs was “on schedule”.
According to her, distribution does not occur at the offices that have come under attack.
RN
