Hoodlums set INEC office on fire

By Kolawole Olayinka, Abeokuta

Hoodlums on Thursday set the office of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) at Iyana Mortuary in Abeokuta, the Ogun State capital on fire.
It was learnt that eight hoodlums reportedly scaled the perimeter fence, jumped into the premises and set the INEC building on fire from the back.
It was also gathered that the hoodlums after gaining access to the premises, soaked loaves of bread with petrol and threw same into the building at different angles to light up the office.
A security guard at the facility identified as Azeez Hamzat, had made a distress call to the police around 1am alerting them on the fire incident.
Police from Ibara Division reportedly mobilized detectives to the scene and later contacted men of the fire service, who raced to the scene to put out the inferno.
When contacted, the Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) in the state, Niyi Ijalaye confirmed the incident, describing it as shocking.
Ijalaye said the situation was still being assessed.
He said: “It is correct that our office was set on fire. The police are investigating. I do not know what to say. I’m in shock myself.
“We called the police and other security agencies at night. The fire brigade put the situation under control. The level of damage is still being assessed.
“It is very shocking and untoward. The security agencies are doing their very best. We are meeting again later today to come up with other strategies (toward securing our facilities).”
It was learnt that the store, the Registration Area Officer’s office, and the conference room were affected by the inferno.
Non-sensitive materials were however not affected by the fire, a source said.

When contacted, Ogun State Police Public Relations Officer, Abimbola Oyeyemi, said the timely intervention of Police rescue team from Ibara Divisional and the state fire service prevented much havoc from the scene.
Oyeyemi said that the police has launched investigation into the matter, vowing that none of the arsonists will go unpunished.
He said the Commissioner of Police, Lanre Bankole has directed the State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID) to launch manhunt for the assailants.