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By Emmanuel Adeleke
The Chairman, Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof Mahmood Yakubu, of Thursday, held an emergency meeting with members of the Inter-Agency Consultative Committee on Election Security.
The emergency meeting was summoned by INEC following recent attacks on the commision’s offices in Ogun and Osun States on Thursday.
Yakubu confirmed that cases of arson at INEC offices in Ogun and Osun States led to the loss of 904 election boxes and 65,699 uncollected Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs).
He said the commission will reproduce the affected PVCs from their data.
While expressing strong concerns over political attacks, he enjoined the committee to take decisive action to nip such occurrences in the bud.
Speaking, the National Security Adviser (NSA), Major-General Babagana Monguno (Rtd.) said no fewer than 52 cases of violence were reported in 22 states of the federation, describing the situation as a bad omen that must be dealt with decisively.
The NSA also explained that President Muhammadu Buhari had given a directive that the 2023 general elections should be conducted without any rancour.
He stressed that the president is pleased with the conduct of the off-season governorship elections held in Anambra, Ekiti, and Osun States, and anticipates a similar outcome in the 2023 elections.
Monguno said that the security agencies had received clear directives to “deal decisively” with any group or individual who wants to foment trouble.
The NSA warned such groups that irrespective of their political leaning, they should beware of the security agencies which, according to him, are on high alert.
Meanwhile, the Inspector General of Police (IGP), Usman Alkali, has disclosed that some arrests have already been made, stressing that investigations are ongoing and that justice would swiftly be dispensed so that it would serve as deterrent to others.
The inter-agency committee includes the National Security Adviser (NSA), Major-General Babagana Monguno (Rtd.); the Inspector General of Police (IGP), Usman Alkali Baba; Director General of the Department of State Services (DSS), Yusuf Bichi; and the Director General of the National Intelligence Agency (NIA), Ahmed Rufai Abubakar.