20th April, 2011
Five INEC offices were burnt while property worth millions of naira were destroyed in five local government areas in Bauchi, following a post-election violence, the Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) in the state, Sen. Iliya Audu, said.
Inspecting the Bauchi Local Government Secretariat of INEC on Tuesday, Audu named the INEC offices burnt by the hoodlums as Itas-Gadau, Jamaare, Bauchi, Dambam and Misau Local Government Areas.
He said that more than 500 laptop computers and 13 generators were burnt in the Bauchi office and that windows and doors were removed and taken away by the hoodlums.
Audu said that furniture, office files and other materials were burnt by the hoodlums.
The REC, who expressed sadness over the incident, wondered why the act was carried out, in spite of a fair, peaceful and transparent election.
Commenting on the safety of INEC’s regular and ad hoc staff members involved in the elections, Audu said that one electoral officer was manhandled.
He said that he had heard of the death of some NYSC members but had yet to be briefed on the situation.
Audu said that the Inter-agency Security Committee on the 2011 Elections would meet to discuss the situation and strategise on the safety of persons who would conduct the next elections in the state.