558 Ballot Boxes, Others Destroyed as Fire Guts INEC Office in Sokoto 

558 Ballot Boxes, Others Destroyed as Fire Guts INEC Office in Sokoto 

JOEL OLADELE, Abuja 

A fire outbreak has ravaged the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) office in Gwadabawa Local Government Area of Sokoto State, destroying crucial electoral materials.

According to a statement signed on Friday, by INEC National Commissioner and Chairman, Information and Voter Education Committee, Sam Olumekun, the incident occurred on Tuesday, 11th February 2025, in the early hours of the morning.

“At its regular weekly meeting held on Thursday 13th February 2025, the Commission took note of a sad incident of fire outbreak in our Gwadabawa Local Government Area office in Sokoto State as reported by the Administrative Secretary in charge of the State office, Mrs. Hauwa Aliyu Kangiwa.

“The fire started in the early hours of the morning on Tuesday 11th February 2025. The entire building was damaged,” Olumekun stated.

Items destroyed according to Olumekun 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 (RAC) materials such as 12 large water tanks (1,000 litres), 400 sleeping mats and 300 plastic buckets.”

The cause of the fire is still being investigated by security and safety agencies, although preliminary reports suggest a sudden surge in public power supply may have triggered the incident. “Preliminary report from our State office indicates that there was a sudden surge from the 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,” Olumekun explained.

Fortunately, no lives were lost in the incident, with Olumekun confirming that “No injuries or fatalities were recorded.” “The Commission is making an effort to find an alternative temporary facility in the Local Government Area so that our activities are not completely disrupted,” he said.