Suspected armed hoodlums on Sunday attacked a Permanent Voter Card (PVC) distribution centre at Oyinlola DC Primary School in Okuku, Odo-Otin Local Government Area of Osun State, making away with several packs of voter cards.
The attackers reportedly stormed the venue while officials of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) were distributing PVCs to eligible voters. Witnesses said the hoodlums fired gunshots into the air, causing panic as residents and electoral officials fled for safety.
A resident, identified as Gbadebo, said the assailants, believed to be about eight in number, moved directly to where the PVCs were kept before fleeing with the cards.
“They shot into the air, forcing everyone to run. They then went straight to where the INEC officials kept the PVCs and escaped with some packs,” he said.
Confirming the incident, the spokesperson for the Osun State Police Command, SP Abiodun Ojelabi, said about 10 armed thugs carried out the attack and successfully carted away three packs of Permanent Voter Cards.
He disclosed that the Commissioner of Police, Ibrahim Gotan, had condemned the attack and ordered a thorough investigation to identify, arrest, and prosecute those responsible.
According to Ojelabi, tactical and intelligence units have been deployed to track down the suspects and recover the stolen PVCs. He reassured residents of the command’s commitment to maintaining law and order and urged anyone with useful information to report to the nearest police station or contact the police through the command’s emergency lines.
The incident temporarily disrupted the PVC distribution exercise, raising fresh concerns over the security of electoral materials ahead of future elections.
