INEC cancels election in Imo State, rescues 19 kidnapped staff

INEC has announced the cancellation of the state house of assembly elections scheduled for Ideato North Local Government Area of Imo State.

The approach was in reaction to the kidnapping of 17 ad-hoc staff earlier today, 18th March 2023. This unfortunate incident raised serious concerns about the safety of electoral officers and the integrity of the election process.

An anonymous source within the commission revealed that the INEC staff were reportedly overpowered by gunmen who forced them into vehicles before speeding away.

Chinenye Chijioke-Osuji, who is a spokesperson for INEC, however, confirmed the rescue of the kidnapped staff in response to a distress call, with operatives immediately taking action upon receiving information about the incident.

Despite successfully rescuing the individuals, Chijioke-Osuji also noted that the election materials, including BVAS and sensitive materials, were not retrieved.