Fire razes inec office in Rivers

Fire razes inec office in Rivers

THE office of the Independent National Electoral Commission in Bori, Khana Local Government Area of Rivers State was on Friday gutted by fire.

The incident, which happened eight days to the forthcoming legislatives rerun election, was said to have razed a major part of the office.

Residents of the area said they woke up in morning only to find out that the INEC office in the area was on fire.

One of the residents, who identified himself as Godwin, said though no strange movement was noticed in the night, the fire outbreak was shocking to everybody.

“We woke up this morning and noticed a thick smoke where the INEC office is located. Some of us moved closer and saw that a large part of the INEC office had been burnt,” Godwin said.

Godwin, however, stated that he suspected sabotage because the fire outbreak occurred few days to the rerun election in some parts of the state.

Speaking on the incident, the State Public Relations Officer of INEC, Mrs. Antonia Nwobu, confirmed the incident, but added that she had not been able to ascertain the cause of the inferno.

Nwobu said, “I was in the office this morning when our electoral officer at the INEC office, Bori (in Khana LGA), called to inform me that the office was on fire.

“I could not ascertain the cause of the fire, but he told me that he had informed the security agencies and investigation is ongoing.”

Speaking on the fire incident, that state’s Police Public Relations Officer, Mr. Omoni Nnamdi, explained that the cause of the fire had yet to be ascertain.

Nnamdi disclosed that no life was lost during the incident, adding that INEC officials were being awaited for an assessment of the level of damage done to the property.

He vowed that the police would not spare anybody found to be behind the incident if investigation proved that it was the handiwork of arsonists.

According to him, “In the early hours of today 22/7/2016 precisely about 1.10am, there was a reported case of fire outbreak at the INEC Office in Bori. The cause of the fire has yet to be ascertained.

“However it has been put out and Police Patrol Teams have been stationed to watch over the building. No life was lost. Investigation into the incident has been ordered.

          “The Command is on top of the situation and wishes to assure the people of the state that at the end of our investigation, the cause of the fire will be ascertained and anybody or group of persons responsible will be dealt with in accordance with the law.”

          The state’s police spokesman urged members of the public to volunteer information to the police that would help them to combat crime.

Such information, according to him, will also help the police to provide adequate security before, during and after the forthcoming election