The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has said it had deployed a security alert to protect staff during the off-cycle elections in Bayelsa, Kogi, and Imo states.
This comes on the heels of various reports highlighting attacks on officials of the commission.
Over 16 INEC, ad hoc staff were attacked, and electoral materials including ballot boxes were destroyed at Odoakpu Ward 7 Onitsha South Local Government Area Anambra State during the House of Assembly election on March 18, 2023.
Also, on February 25, 2023, the police in Gombe State confirmed an attack on INEC ad hoc staff camped at the Tudunwada Primary School, in the Gombe metropolis among other attacks.
To prevent such occurrences, the Chief Press Secretary to the INEC Chairman, Rotimi Oyekanmi, said that aside from the security alert which has been improved to protect INEC staff, discussions are ongoing with security agencies to deploy additional measures to protect ad-hoc staff especially National Youth Service Corps and its staff.
“The commission takes the welfare and security of its staff and all categories of ad-hoc staff seriously.
“We work closely with the security agencies, under the aegis of the Inter-Agency Consultative Committee on Election Security.
Oyekanmi said consultations are ongoing and additional safety measures are being taken. He added that INEC has already developed an application that staff can use to send alerts in the event of any security challenges while on electoral duty.
