A mob has set the Independent National Electoral Commission office in Ngor-Okpalla Local Government Area of Imo State, on fire.
It was gathered that the people also assaulted a security guard at the office and snatched his phone as the electoral officer escaped being attacked during the incident on Sunday.
Following the development, the electoral officers were directed to return to the INEC office in Owerri, the state capital, to collate the results of the Governorship and state House of Assembly results.
An electoral officer, who spoke on condition of anonymity at the INEC office in Owerri on Sunday, said they narrowly escaped from the office with the election results.
She said, “The people beat up a security guard, tore his uniform and took away his phone. They then blocked the road with motorcycles and stones, but we managed to escape with the election results in our Hilux van before they set the building on fire.”
The Imo State Police spokesman, Orlando Ikeokwu, confirmed the incident, stating that the command was on the trail of the perpetrators.
“Yes, I can confirm that the INEC office in Ngor-Okpalla was set on fire by some people, but we are investigating the incident,” he said on the phone.
The state Resident Electoral Commissioner, Prof. Francis Ezeonu, said he asked the security personnel to bring the electoral officers to Owerri because the election result was being compromised.
The collation of results in Oru East Local Government Area of the state had ended in a fiasco as the returning officer has reportedly fled into hiding following threats of violence by some unidentified people.
It was gathered that the RO whose name could not be immediately ascertained, was forced to go into hiding following moves by some people to force him to manipulate the result of the elections.
The development, it was learnt, prompted the REC to recall the electoral officers in the area back to the INEC office in Owerri, where the collation was carried out.
In Isiala Mbano LGA, it was gathered that the situation was also tense as many electoral officers were prevented from entering the collation centre.
A source said, “Out of 12 buses filled with EOs, only those in three buses were allowed to enter the collation centre. The rest were grounded in their buses by some people. We have alerted the REC to the situation and we expect him to do something about it.”