The Osun State Police Command has confirmed that officials of the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, came under attack on Sunday after thugs stormed a PVC distribution centre in Odo-Otin Local Government Area and made away with voter cards.
In a statement signed by the Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Abiodun Ojelabi, the Command said the incident occurred at Oyinlola DC Primary School, Ward 2, where INEC officials were peacefully distributing Permanent Voter Cards.
According to the Command, about ten armed hoodlums invaded the centre, fired sporadically into the air and carted away three packs of PVCs before fleeing the scene.
Ojelabi said the Commissioner of Police, Ibrahim Gotan, has condemned the attack and directed a comprehensive investigation to identify and prosecute those responsible.
Ojelabi said tactical and intelligence units have been deployed to apprehend the perpetrators and recover the stolen PVCs.
The Command also reassured residents of Ile-Ife, Odo-Otin and across the state that normalcy has been restored in the affected areas, and that it remains committed to the protection of lives and property.
He urged members of the public to remain calm and law-abiding, and called on eyewitnesses with useful information to report to the nearest police station or contact the Command through its emergency lines.
The Resident Electoral Commissioner, Oluwatoyin Babalola, during a town hall meeting in Osogbo, confirmed the incident.
Babalola, however, said she is still awaiting an official report from the field to ascertain the number of PVCs carted away.
(Follow AIT News on WhatsApp, AfricaIndependentTV on YouTube, ait_online on Facebook and X (Formerly Twitter), and officialait on TikTok, Instagram and Threads)
Editor: Ebuwa Omo-Osagie
