Fire At INEC Warehouse: Commission Rules Out Sabotage

The electoral institute of the Independent National Electoral
Commission (INEC) was gutted by fire yesterday though it ruled out
political mischief.

The warehouse in electoral institute was hit by the fire outbreak
which started at 11pm on Saturday night was extinguished at 2am Sunday
morning.

The director of security of INEC, Shettima Ngilladar, who showed
newsmen around the affected area, said the fire was caused by power
surge which made the electrical panel to go up in flames.

While he explained that no electoral materials for the 2015 elections
was in the warehouse as they have been deployed to the state, he ruled
out political mischief as cause of the fire.

He said the materials affected were old stock used in 2011 noting that
security agencies are already investigating the matter.

The INEC security chief said "these are non-sensitive materials that
have been banned in the warehouse. You will see it yourself it is not
hidden. It something clear, this banned non sensitive materials have
nothing to do with the elections.

"They are old materials in store that has not been evacuated. These
are old stock of non sensitive materials, like bags, envelopes,
election forms which were used in 2011 elections. They won't be used
for 2015 elections. Everything here is non sensitive. Police on ground
and security investigation is on."

As to the financial loss arising from the outbreak he said "I cannot
quantify now because they are envelopes and bags. And old used forms
for elections. So it is not something I can say how much."

Ruling out political sabotage, he said "whether it is too long or too
early there is no political motive about it. It is an electric
action."

Corroborating, the deputy director of electoral logistics at INEC, Ken
Ukeagu, said " all sensitive materials required for 2015 elections
have been moved to the states. Whatever we ave here are old stock of
the material. You know the normal process of disposing materials take
alottle while. But these materials here are not useful for 2015
elections. All the useful sensitive materials have been moved to the
states. Even if these were materials that would have been used there
is no way it would affect the elections.

All materials required for the election has been moved to the state,
there is no way anything happening here will affect the elections."

Col. Mohammed Hammanga INEC National Commissioner in charge of
electoral logistics who was at the institute to inspect the damage
expressed happiness that materials affected were old stock.

"We that God it has not gone beyond this. We are happy that it has not
destroyed the materials that will be used in the election".
--Leadership