About one week to the governorship and State Houses of Assembly elections scheduled for March 9, 2019, tension has taken over Abia State as hoodlums plot to burn down offices of the Independent National Electoral Commission in six Local Government Areas.
Abia State government raised the alarm over plans by hired political thugs to burn down the facilities of INEC in Obingwa, Ugwunagbo, Isiala Ngwa South, Ukwa East, Ukwa West and Osisioma LGAs of the State.
INEC offices had been burnt down by suspected hoodlums in Isiala Ngwa North LGA of Abia State, Plateau and another state before the just concluded Presidential and National Assembly elections.
The government’s position was contained in a statement by the Commissioner for Information, Chief John Okiyi Kalu on Friday night in Abuja.
He called on all those involved in the dastardly plot to desist from such nefarious activities.
Okiyi urged Abia youths not to allow themselves be used to perpetrate such a heinous crime.
The statement called on security agencies in the state, especially the Nigeria Police Force, to ensure that the targeted facilities and others in the state were adequately protected before, during and after the remaining elections.
Okiyi said, “Abia State government has uncovered plots by some hoodlums hired by desperate political actors to burn down Independent National Electoral Commission facilities in Obingwa, Ugwunagbo, Isiala Ngwa South, Ukwa East, Ukwa West and Osisioma Local Government Areas of the State.
“We wish to call on all those involved in the dastardly plot to desist from such nefarious activities even as we urge our youths not to allow themselves be used to perpetrate such a heinous crime.
“Security agencies in the state, especially the Nigeria Police Force, are hereby called upon to ensure that the targeted facilities and others in the state are adequately protected before, during and after the remaining elections.”
