We’ve recorded 53 attacks on our facilities since 2019: INEC

No fewer than 53 attacks have been carried out on the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC)’s facilities in different parts of the country since February 3, 2019, the country’s electoral umpire said.

The commission’s National Commissioner in charge of Voter Registration and Information, Festus Okoye, gave the figure at one-day sensitisation training for journalists in Lafia, the Nasarawa State capital.

The event was organised by the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) in conjunction with INEC on conflict-sensitive reporting and 2023 general elections.

He said, “As from February 3, 2019 up to July 23, 2022, the commission recorded 45 attacks on its facilities in different parts of the country. And between July 23, 2022 and December 14, 2022, we also recorded 8 additional attacks on our facilities.”

Speaking on the functionality of the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS), Okoye said it works both online and offline for transmission of results and accreditation of voters.

He said, “BVAS works offline and Section 47 (2) of the Electoral Act makes the use of BVAS mandatory for the commission.

“It works just like when a person sends a text message from a mobile phone; once it goes, the sender cannot retrieve or alter it. The device is used for voters’ authentication, accreditation and transmission of results.”

He said during the INEC’s continuous voters’ registration exercise, over 12 million people completed their registration which started on June 28, 2021 and ended on July 31, 2022.

INEC cautioned journalists against announcing or publishing results of the elections before they are officially announced by the commission.