Gunmen attack INEC office in Lagos

Armed political thugs have attacked the office of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in Agege local government area of Lagos state. The incident occurred some few hours back.

A member of the INEC ad hoc staff deployed to State High School, Oyewole in Orile Agege said that the attackers also injured some persons and fired shots into the house of Kayode Opeifa, the state commissioner for transportation. A vehicle belonging to Opeifa was also said to be vandalized during the operation.

“We were just right here in our unit at State High School when we heard sound of gunshots, some bullets even landed on our roof,” the staffer said. “The security man quickly shut the gates and briefed us that some guys who rode on bikes were the ones responsible.

“They first of all attacked the residence of the commissioner, which is opposite the school and vandalised one of his vehicles parked outside his compound. Then they moved to the secretariat of Agege local government and destroyed properties in the staff quarters before attacking the INEC office, which shares a fence with the secretariat but I can’t say if they succeeded in carting away electoral materials.” The official said he called one of his colleagues at the affected centre and was told that some of the voters who decided to spend the night at the place in order to be able to cast their vote early in the morning were also attacked. He disclosed that the council manager had to put a call through to security agents who arrived moments after the men had left.

Another ad-hoc staffer narrated his experience on social media. “Alhaji Niyi Raheem has started again at Inec office in Agege, his boys have stabbed one of us on the head and dragged the EO (electoral office) on the floor,” he wrote on Facebook. “I am very afraid because I have been posted to supervise his ward 9. “Right now, I am hiding under the table. They are now inside the office where we have been arranging ballot papers and other materials. They have switched off the generator.” When contacted, Kenneth Nwosu, the police public relations officer in the state, said he was not aware of the incident but promised to get back to our correspondent. “I will get back to you because I cannot confirm that now,” he said.