Imo tops states in attacks on INEC offices – Data

The Independent National Electoral Commission has so far recorded 50 attacks on its facilities across 15 states in the last four years.

This was contained in a data made available to correspondent on Friday.

The breakdown showed that in 2019, the commission recorded eight attacks; 2020, 22 attacks; 2021, 12 attacks and in 2022, eight attacks.

The incidents happened in Osun, Ogun, Lagos, Ondo, Bayelsa, Anambra, Imo, Abia, Akwa-Ibom, Cross River, Enugu, Ebonyi, Kaduna, Borno, and Taraba States.

In 2019, its facilities were attacked in Osun, Bayelsa, Imo, and Akwa-Ibom.

In 2020, its offices in Osun, Ondo, Lagos, Imo, Abia, Cross River, Anambra, Borno, and Taraba were affected.

In 2021, Kaduna, Ebonyi, Enugu, Anambra, Imo, Abia, and Akwa-Ibom States were not spared.

In 2022; its facilities in Ogun, Osun, Ebonyi, Imo, and Enugu states were attacked.

The analysis showed that Imo had the highest attacks on INEC facilities with 11 incidents, followed by Osun, seven; Akwa-Ibom, five; Enugu, five; Ebonyi, four; Cross River, four; Abia, four; Anambra, two; Taraba, two; Borno, one; Ogun, one; Lagos, one; Bayelsa, one; Ondo, one; and Kaduna, one.

The nature of the incidents include arson, 20; vandalisation, 26; and arson and vandalisation, four.

The data further revealed that 20 of the attacks were caused by gunmen and hoodlums; EndSARS protest trigged 18 attacks; thuggery during elections, six; post-election violence, four; bandit attack, one; and Boko Haram attack, one.