The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) says its office in Gwadabawa Local Government Area of Sokoto State has been gutted by fire.
National Commissioner and Chairman Information and Voter Education Committee, Sam Olumekun, who disclosed this in a statement on Friday, February 14, 2025, said the fire destroyed ballot boxes and other materials.
According to him, at its regular weekly meeting held on Thursday, the commission took note of a sad incident of fire outbreak in the Gwadabawa LGA as reported by the Administrative Secretary in charge of the State office, Mrs. Hauwa Aliyu Kangiwa.
He said that the fire started in the early hours of Tuesday, February 11, 2025.
“The entire building was damaged. Items destroyed include furniture and fixtures as well as movable electoral facilities, among them 558 ballot boxes, 186 voting enclosures (cubicles), 186 election bags and various Registration Area Centre (RAC) materials such as 12 large water tanks (1,000 litres), 400 sleeping mats and 300 plastic buckets,” Olumekun said.
“Preliminary report from our state office indicates that there was a sudden surge from the public power supply before the incident.”
He, however, said the actual cause of the fire outbreak was being investigated by the security and safety agencies, adding that no injuries or fatalities were recorded.
He said the commission was making efforts to find an alternative, temporary facility in the local government area so its activities would not be completely disrupted.
