Anambra Guber: Bomb Scare Rocks INEC Office in Awka

Posted by African Examiner Featured, Latest Headlines, News Tuesday, November 14th, 2017

From Ignatius Okpara, Awka

(AFRICAN EXAMINER) – Residents of Awka, the Anambra, state capital, Southeast Nigeria were on Monday thrown into fear and panic as rumours of bomb scare at the state headquarters of the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, spread in the city.

A Source close to the electoral body in the state who craved anonymity said the alleged discovery of a substance which looked like an improvised explosive device (IED), within the office premises, has caused serious panic in the area.

It was further gathered that the device was detected by men of the anti-bomb squad of the Nigeria Police Force who combed the entire compound very early on Monday morning.

According to the source said, “It was early this morning that I was trying to use that road, when police condoned it off. We were told that they found a device that looked like a bomb and had to stop everyone so that they can diffuse the device.

Following the development, heavy security has been beefed up around the area, as hordes of security operatives were seen, while visitors and passers by, were subjected to full identification before entry.

Reacting to the incident, the Anambra state resident electoral commissioner REC, Dr Nkwachukwu Orji, dismissed the rumour probably not to put fear on the people of the state who will be going to the poll on Saturday to elect a new governor.

The REC, though, admitted that a substance was picked outside the compound and could have been dropped by anyone, stressing that it was the duty of the police to verify the object.

Princess Nkeiruka Nwode, the state police public Relations officer, PPRO, said she was not aware of the incident.

Our Correspondent reports that since after the incident, there had been influx of men of the bomb disposal unit experts at the INEC office, a development Nwode said was part of preparations for the Saturday gubernatorial election.