Barely 24 days to the conduct of the February 25th presidential election, tension has heightened across the 21 local government areas of Anambra State following early morning attacks yesterday on the office of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in Idemili South local government area of the state.
Also attacked were police stations in Ojoto, the headquarters of the Idemili South local government area and that of the Nnobi community.
One person believed to be a boy was killed during the attack, while another female victim sustained injuries.
Several residential buildings were affected during the mayhem which jolted residents of the areas from their sleep.
It was learnt that the hoodlums came in their numbers and descended on the INEC and police facilities at about 1:45 am yesterday.
A source close to the area said the hoodlums torched the commission’s headquarters in the area, using an Improvised Explosive Device (IED).
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Already, security has been reinforced with the deployment of operatives of the state police command at various strategic locations across the 21 LGAs of the state.
Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO) of the state command, DSP Toochukwu Ikenga, confirmed the attacks.
Ikenga in a statement to newsmen in Awka, the state capital, said the “Anambra State Police Command today 1/2/2023 has reinforced security deployment in the state, following an attack on the INEC office in Idemili south, Ojoto and Nnobi Police Station.”
He said, “The hoodlums came in their numbers by 1:45 am today 1/2/2023, with four unmarked Seina vehicles, armed with IEDs, petrol bombs, and other explosives, invaded the INEC office, the police station, and the residential building in the station.”
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According to the police spokesperson, “Unfortunately, one boy aged 16 years, a relative of a serving policeman in the station, was murdered by the armed men while the other, a female aged 15 years, sustained a gunshot injury. She has been taken to the hospital where she is receiving treatment.”
He added that “The situation is being monitored and further details shall be communicated, please.”
