The Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, says its office in Gwadabawa Local Government Area, Sokoto State has been damaged by fire.
The fire started in the early hours of the morning on Tuesday 11th February 2025, damaging the entire building.
A statement by INEC’s National Commissioner and Chairman Information and Voter Education Committee, Sam Olumekun, said the incident was reported by the Administrative Secretary in charge of the State office, Mrs. Hauwa Aliyu Kangiwa, during its regular weekly meeting on Thursday.
According to the commission, “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.”
On the cause of the incident, the commission said “Preliminary report from our State office indicates that there was a sudden surge from public power supply before the incident.”
It however, noted that the actual cause of the fire outbreak is being investigated by the security and safety agencies which have deployed their personnel to the facility.
The commission confirmed that there were no injuries or fatalities recorded in the inferno, adding that it is making effort to find an alternative temporary facility in the Local Government Area so that its activities are not completely disrupted.
