Two containers containing configured card readers and other sensitive materials for Saturday February 16, 2019 general election were on Tuesday, gutted by fire at the office of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), in Awka, the Anambra State capital.
The fire whose source remained unknown started at 2.14pm, raising the entire materials in the containers before arrival of officials of Anambra State fire service as at 2.40pm.
A source, however, maintained that the source of the fire could be overheat resulting from the card readers connected to the containers possibly for recharging them ahead of Saturdays Presidential and National Assembly elections.
An eye witness, who was at the office for collection of posting letters as INEC SPOS, said that the fire started at a portion and was put off only to double and escalate to other places.
According to the witness, “We were sent outside when the fire escalated, raising dust everywhere. We had come to collect our posting letters. We were told to drive out or park out our properties in case the fire gutted the entire buildings.”
Confirming the incident, the Resident Electoral Commissioner in Anambra, Dr Nkwachukwu Orji, said that only smart card readers and other sensitive materials he did not mention their names were in the burnt containers, which according to him had been in use by INEC since 2011.
On whether the fire incident would prevent election in the State, Orji said they would first study the outcome and come out with report in due course.
“We have to access the situation before we come out to logical conclusion on materials destroyed. I don’t know if the materials were configured beecause I am just arriving to the office”, he added.
