By Marcus Ikechukwu
Babagana Munguno, the National Security Adviser, has said that security agencies were currently on the trail of the perpetrators of those who attacked and burnt the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) office in Ogun State.
Monguno, a retired brigadier general, assured that no amount of security threats will stop the 2023 general elections from taking place as planned, as President Muhammadu Buhari has vowed to deliver a free, fair and transparent election.
The NSA gave the warning when he appeared at the Ministerial Media Briefing organized by the Presidential Communications Team at the Presidential Villa Abuja on Thursday.
According to the NSA, when law enforcement agencies begin their manhunt, there will be no hiding place for the perpetrators.
Monguno, who was reacting to reports of state governors implementing policies that prevent the presence of opposition campaign materials in their states, blamed the action on what he called an inferiority complex.
He further said that politicians hiring thugs do not believe in themselves, warning that any person that engages in any unpalatable activity would be dealt with.
While cautioning the governors to restrain their thugs, he said President Muhammadu Buhari had given clear directives that the 2023 election must be free, fair and credible.
The NSA warned the governors to “call their Capoon regime to order because when we move, there will be no hiding place.”
Trouble was said to have started when the hoodlums, numbering less than ten, reportedly scaled the perimeter fence into the premises and set the INEC building on fire from behind.
They were alleged to have invaded the premises, soaked loaves of bread with petrol and thrown them into the building at different angles to light up the INEC office.
It was also gathered that a security guard at the facility, simply identified as Azeez Hamzat, had made a distress call to the police around 1 am on a fateful day, alerting them of the fire incident.
The police from the Ibara division quickly mobilised detectives to the scene and later contacted men of fire service in the state, who raced to the scene to put out the fire.
It was also learnt that the store, the Registration Area Officer’s office, and the conference room were affected by the inferno.
On politicians stifling their opponent’s campaign activities, Munguno warned state governors using thugs to prevent the opposition from mounting campaign materials in their domains to desist from the act as security agencies will soon come after them.
