Five days to election: Panic as bomb scare rocks Anambra INEC secretariat

There was pandemonium on Monday at the Anambra State Secretariat of the Independent National Electoral Commission, following alleged discovery of an explosive package suspected to be a bomb.

This is coming five days to the governorship election in the state, scheduled for Saturday, November 18.

The proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra had threatened to hinder the poll, saying what it needed was a referendum to determine a Sovereign State of Biafra and not a governorship election.

When our correspondent visited the INEC Secretariat, bomb disposal experts and conventional policemen were seen in their large numbers, trooping in and out of the place.

It was gathered that the alleged explosive was planted near the INEC gate.

Before the arrival of the experts, there was momentary suspension of work as members of staff of the commission and visitors scampered for safety.

When contacted on the telephone, the INEC Resident Electoral Commissioner in the state, Dr. Nkwachukwu Orji, denied knowledge of the development.

“I don’t think I know what you are talking about,” the REC quipped.

But some INEC staff who pleaded anonymity confirmed the incident to our correspondent.
They said the incident happened in the early hours of Monday.
“All of us ran away when to story was broken to us. We were all scared to stay in the offices until the bomb experts came an detonated the device.
” Let this election come and go so that that we can rest. This is scary,” one of them said.

Speaking on the telephone, the State Police Public Relations Officer, Nkeiruka Nwode, said she was not aware of the development.

Asked why the large presence of bomb disposal experts at the INEC Secretariat, Nwode said it was part of preparations for the Saturday governorship election.Punch