Ben Ezechime, Enugu
The Enugu Office of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), has said that sensitive election materials meant for Saturday’s Presidential and National Assembly elections have been received.
The Head of Department, Voter Education and Publicity (VEP), INEC Enugu, Mr Rex Achumie, confirmed this in Enugu.
He said that the materials would be distributed to various Local Government Areas on Thursday after thorough inspection by relevant Agencies.
“INEC will be distributing the result sheets in full glare of heads of security agencies, political parties, media, observers and other stakeholders on Thursday, February 23, from the CBN.”
Ikengaonline observed the presence of about 1088 cartons containing the Bi-Modal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) machines at the INEC state headquarters.
Each of the cartons has four BVAS machines, totaling 4,352 meant for the state.
The BVAS machines are expected to be deployed to the 4,145 polling units across 260 Registration Area Centres and 17 council areas of the
state.
Meanwhile, Ikengaonline reports that there were heavy security at the Enugu INEC office ahead of the Saturday election.
It was also observed that over 10 barricades with thousands of sand bags have been erected at the entrance and exit points of the office complex.
There is an Armoured Personnel Carrier (APC) stationed at the entrance, while police patrol vans and a fire service truck are stationed inside the premises.
Dozens of plain-cloth security men have also been deployed and stationed within and outside the office complex.
Our investigation around Enugu city, noticed scores of armed security agencies drawn from the Nigerian Army, Police and NSCDC manning the office complex in strategic locations.
Apart from INEC facilities, sources also confirmed heavy security presence on roads leading to Enugu, the state capital, and environs with military armaments situated along Port Harcourt/Enugu Road.
Speaking, a senior security official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said that the latest beef-up was an indication that all the security agencies are ready for the elections.
According to him, the security agencies working under the Inter-agency Consultation Committee on Election Security (ICCES) would not leave any stone unturned.
“The type of security beef-up you are seeing here today in the state headquarters is being replicated in INEC council offices in the 17 council areas in the state.
“We have a massive deployment of personnel and assets through ICCES arrangement at any place INEC have its facilities or its personnel are working to facilitate a smooth and peaceful elections come Feb. 25 and March 11,” he said.
