Just hours before the commencement of local government elections in Akwa Ibom State, hoodlums attacked and set ablaze the office of the Akwa Ibom State Independent Electoral Commission (AKISIEC) in Ibiatuk, Ibiono Ibom local government area.
Confirming the incident, Akwa Ibom Police Public Relations Officer, ASP Timfon John, stated that, fortunately, no lives were lost and electoral materials remained unaffected.
He assured the public that the incident would not hinder the voting process, with reports indicating that voters were still exercising their franchise as of press time.
John further revealed that the Police Command had deployed additional operatives to AKISIEC offices throughout the state to prevent further disruptions.
However, the elections have been marred by issues, including the late arrival of electoral materials and the noticeable absence of security operatives at various polling units.
For instance, at Unit 001 in Ward 14 of Uyo local government area, there were no materials available as of 10:02 a.m., and neither AKISIEC nor security officials were present.
This lack of preparedness was echoed at Unit 2, Ward 11 in Itu local government area, where a similar scenario unfolded.