The office of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) at Mgboko, headquarters of Obingwa Local Council of Abia State, has been burnt down. It was set ablaze around 11am today by yet to be identified assailants.

Eye witnesses say the hoodlums came with weapons such as guns, axes and knives and gallons of fuel, chanting war songs.

Public Relations Officer of the Abia State Command Police Command, Udeviotu Onyeke, however told News Express that the source of the fire not yet known and that no arrest has so far been made. He said that the incident is being investigated and appealed to anybody with useful information to make it available to the police.

Reacting to the incident, Governor Okezie Ikpeazu condemned the perpetrators, describing them as enemies of the state.

Governor Ikpeazu who inspected the scene of fire later in the day, expressed shock at the level of damage done to the building and charged the police and other law enforcement agencies to ensure that the culprits are brought to book.

The governor also called on the police and the army to beef up security in all INEC formations in the state to forestall such incidents.

He lamented over the tendency of some disgruntled elements in society to vandalise public property, saying that it is a big drawback to the effort of government in providing dividend of democracy.

While reiterated the determination of his government to maintain law and order and protect life and property of the Abia citizenry, Governor Ikpeazu warned perpetrators of such acts to turn to a new leaf as the current administration will not tolerate such deviate acts.