INEC Suspends Registration of Voters in Igboeze, Following Attack by Gunmen

Friday 15^th July 2022

At about 2.30pm on Wednesday 13^th July 2022, unknown gunmen attacked officials of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) involved in the Continuous Voter Registration (CVR) at Community Primary School, Umuopu, in Umuozzi Ward 19 of the Igboeze North Local Government Area (LGA) in Enugu State.

According to the Commission’s Administrative Secretary, Jude Okwuonu, the gunmen fired sporadically into the air to disperse registrants and registration officials. In the ensuing stampede, one staff of the Commission sustained injuries and was taken to the hospital for treatment. Two voter registration machines and personal items of staff such as mobile phones were lost.

In a swift reaction, the Commission yesterday suspended  Ward level registration of voters in Igboeze North LGA.

The latest attack is coming on the heels of an earlier attack by unknown arsonists, who set the Commission’s office ablaze at 11.48pm on 4^th July in the same Igboeze North LGA. The arsonists were reported to have overpowered the security guards, forced their way into the premises before setting the building there ablaze. The Commission lost 784 ballot boxes, 240 voting cubicles, office furniture and equipment in the process. 

It will be recalled that on 23^rd May 2021, the Commission’s office at Igboeze South LGA was attacked in a similar manner by unknown gunmen. This followed earlier attacks on Udenu LGA office on 13^th May 2021 and the State Headquarters in Enugu on 16^th May 2021.