BREAKING: Gunmen attack Kogi REC’s residence in Lokoja

• The armed men engaged the security personnel in a gun battle for over 30 minutes until reinforcement arrived
• INEC called for a thorough investigation and enhanced security protection for its personnel and assets in Kogi State

Gunmen have attacked the residence of the Resident Electoral Commissioner, REC of the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, in Lokoja, the Kogi state capital.

Chief Press Secretary to the INEC Chairman, Mr Rotimi Oyekanmi disclosed this in a statement Friday in Abuja.

He said the REC, Dr Hale Longpet was hale and hearty as the security personnel attached to him were able to hold off the attackers before reinforcement.

“In the early hours of today, Friday 1st December 2023, around 3.30am, gunmen attacked the residence of our Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) in Lokoja, Kogi State.

“The armed men engaged the security personnel in a gun battle for over 30 minutes until reinforcement arrived.

“While no lives were lost, property was destroyed in the ensuing gun battle. A team of combined security personnel have been deployed to protect the residence.This incident occurred a day after a mob besieged our state office.

“We call for a thorough investigation and enhanced security protection for our personnel and assets in Kogi State”, he stated.

Some protesters branded in Social Democratic Party SDP shirts had on Wednesday besieged the INEC office in Lokoja claiming that the commission was working with the state government to tamper with election materials.

One of them who identified himself as Danjuma, said they were sure the materials at the INEC Office had been compromised by the APC, vowing that those who stole his people’s mandate must not live to enjoy it.

“We have it on good authority that the APC and Yahaya Bello have tampered with the election materials. The materials they are taking to the tribunal have already been doctored. So we are calling on INEC to take the original material to INEC, or we will make Kogi State ungovernable.

“Those who stole the mandate of Kogi East must not live to enjoy it. We are calling on the President and also the National Chairman of INEC to ensure the doctored materials are immediately replaced with the original ones before they are presented at the tribunal. Anything other than that will be resisted,” he had said.