Following the attack on firefighters on Friday, Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) office in Anambra has been razed in a fire accident.
The incident took place in Ogidi, Idemili North Local Government Area of Anambra State.
SP Haruna Mohammed, spokesperson of Anambra State Police Command confirmed the fire incident saying it started from a burning Bush near the INEC building.
“At about 12:30 pm of today 2/2/2020, there was fire incident at the INEC office, Ogidi in Idemili North LGA of Anambra State.
“Police patrol team led by DPO of Ogidi Division rushed to the scene and Fire Service department was contacted. Scene was cordoned off and effort is ongoing to put off the fire and prevent it from escalating to other adjourning buildings. The fire allegedly emanated from bush burning. However, the extent of damages done is yet to be determined.”
Anambra state recorded another fire incident that left seven people severely injured in Onitsha area.
“The Fire allegedly emanated from a gas cooker recently procured which exploded in the course of using it for the first time.
“As a result, A total of seven(7) persons namely: Nonso Okafor ‘m’, Nkechi Chinyere Okafor ‘f,’ Chisoba Okafor ‘m’, Ebuka Okafor ‘m’, Nwabuchi Chukwutor ‘m’, Chialuka Nwabuchi ‘m’ and Ifeoma Nwabuchi ‘f’ sustained varying degrees of injuries while property worth millions of Naira were destroyed.
These fire accidents are coming after some firefighters were attacked in Nkpor area of the state.
The firefighters who responded to a distress call were stoned out of the vicinity as their trucks and other fire equipment were also damaged in the attack.
The Director, Anambra State Fire Service, Engr. Martin Agbili took to facebook to condemn the attack.
“At about 2146 hours (9.46 pm), Anambra State Fire Service received a distress call of Fire outbreak along new Motor spare Parts Nkpor.”
“Immediately, we deployed our fire trucks and firefighters to the fire scene.”
“As the first fire truck gets to the fire scene, some uninformed persons started throwing stones on fire truck and firefighters.”
“At the process, they damaged our Fire trucks and firefighters escaped.
“Just look at what they did to our fire truck and will later expect firefighters to respond to fire outbreaks.”
It remains unclear if there is a connection between the attack on firefighters and the fire incident at INEC office which houses sensitive electoral materials.