The office complex of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in the Gwadabawa Local Government Area office of Sokoto State, has been gutted by fire.
This was contained in a signed statement by the INEC National Commissioner and Chairman
Information and Voter Education Committee, Sam Olumekun, today.
The statement said the commission’s Administrative Secretary in Sokoto State, Mrs. Hauwa Kangiwa, notified the INEC headquarters of the fire outbreak on Thursday.
Olumekun said the fire which engulfed the entire building started in the early hours of February 11, 2025, destroying everything in the building.
Items destroyed include furniture and fixtures as well as movable electoral facilities, among them 558 ballot boxes, 186 voting enclosures (cubicles), 186 election bags and various registration area centre materials such as 12 large water tanks (1,000 litres), 400 sleeping mats and 300 plastic buckets.
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“Preliminary report from our state office indicates that there was a sudden surge from public power supply before the incident.
“However, the actual cause of the fire outbreak is being investigated by the security and safety agencies which have deployed their personnel to the facility,” he said.
However, no injuries or fatalities were recorded.
Meanwhile, the commission said it is making efforts to find an alternative temporary facility in the local government area, so that its activities are not completely disrupted.
