In the early hours of Thursday, suspected hoodlums set fire to the Independent National Electoral Commission’s office at Iyana Mortuary ll in Abeokuta, the Ogun State capital.
According to sources, the hoodlums scaled the perimeter fence, jumped into the premises, and set fire to the INEC building from the back.
According to reports, the hoodlums soaked loaves of bread in petrol and threw them into the building at various angles to light up the INEC office.
It was also learned that a security guard at the facility, Azeez Hamzat, had made a distress call to the police around 1 a.m., alerting them to the fire.
The police from Ibara division reportedly mobilised detectives to the scene and later contacted men of fire service in the state , who raced to the scene to put out the fire.
When contacted, the Ogun INEC Resident Electoral Commissioner, Niyi Ijalaye confirmed the incident, describing it as shocking.
The REC 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).”