Adedayo Akinwale in Abuja
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has announced that it lost 558 ballot boxes, 186 voting enclosures (cubicles), 186 election bags and various Registration Area Centre (RAC) materials, among others, in the fire incident that occurred in its office in Sokoto State.
INEC National Commissioner and Chairman,
Information and Voter Education Committee, Sam Olumekun, in a statement Friday, said the fire started in the early hours of Tuesday, February 11, 2025.
He said: “At its regular weekly meeting held on Thursday, 13th February, 2025, the commission took note of a sad incident of fire outbreak in our Gwadabawa Local Government Area office in Sokoto State as reported by the administrative secretary in charge of the state office, Mrs. Hauwa Aliyu Kangiwa.
“The fire started in the early hours of the morning on Tuesday 11th February 2025. The entire building was damaged.
“Items destroyed include furniture and fixtures, as well as movable electoral facilities, among them 558 ballot boxes, 186 voting enclosures (cubicles), 186 election bags and various Registration Area Centre (RAC) materials such as 12 large water tanks (1,000 litres), 400 sleeping mats and 300 plastic buckets.”
Olumekun stressed that preliminary report from the state office indicated that there was a sudden surge from the public power supply before the incident.
However, he said, the actual cause of the fire outbreak was being investigated by the security and safety agencies which have deployed their personnel in the facility.
Olumekun said the commission was making an effort to find an alternative temporary facility in the local government area so that its activities are not completely disrupted.
