A total of 4695 card readers, which were being configured, in preparation for the February 16, 2019 presidential elections, were burnt yesterday in Anambra.
The number of the card readers burnt was confirmed in a statement signed by the Director for Voters Mobilisation and education of INEC, Mr. Festus Okoye.
According to him, were to be used in four local government areas of Anambra. Okoye said, that the elections in Anambra would however proceed unhindered. He said the Commission would mop up redundant card readers in other states to replace the burnt ones in Anambra.
Okoye said the incident has been reported to the police and investigation was ongoing.
Okoye noted that no attempt by any person or group of persons to disrupt the process would stop the elections from holding as scheduled, as INEC has put contingency plans to take care of such acts.
He said that the Commission was, nevertheless, concerned about the increasing acts of fire incidents targeted at INEC offices and its materials.
Apart from the Anambra incidence, there have been two fire attacks on INEC offices and its materials in Plateau and Abia. In Plateau about 4000 yet to be collected Permanent Voters Cards were affected, while in Abia
Ballot boxes, generators filled with fuel, cubicles, newly printed electronic and manual voters register, unclaimed Permanent Voter Cards, materials for the preparations of RAC and other valuable materials were affected in the incidents. INEC lost 5, 987 Permanent Voters Cards (PVCs) and 297 ballot boxes following a fire outbreak which occurred in Qua’an Pan Local Government Area (LGA) of Plateau State. A drunken security man was said to have caused the outbreak in Plateau. Election materials, among them PVCs were also affected in lsiala Ngwa South LGA office in Abia State incident.
