Fire Guts INEC Office in Delta, Destroys Election Materials

A fire has destroyed election materials and other properties at an office of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in Delta State. The incident occurred in Owa-Oyibu town, located in the Ika North-East Local Government Area of the state.

According to Sam Olumekun, INEC’s National Commissioner and Chairman of the Information & Voter Education Committee, the fire broke out on the afternoon of Monday, December 2, 2024. The blaze was caused by a sudden power surge that followed the restoration of public electricity supply.

Olumekun’s statement outlined the extent of the damage, noting that the store section of the office, where petrol generators and other items were kept, was completely destroyed. Among the items lost in the fire were 706 ballot boxes, 50 election bags, 322 apron vests, three electric generators, 140 stamps, 50 ballot box seals, as well as various documents, envelopes, posters, and forms.

Thankfully, no lives were lost, and no injuries were reported. INEC has alerted the relevant security agencies and emergency services to investigate the cause of the fire.

The Commission expressed gratitude to the Nigeria Police Force and the Delta State Fire Service for their prompt response to the incident.