Suspected gunmen have attacked officials of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in Odo-Otin Local Government Area of Osun State, disrupting the distribution of Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs) and carting away sensitive materials.

According to the spokesperson of the state police command, Abiodun Ojelabi, about 10 armed thugs stormed Oyinlola DC Primary School, Ward 2, where INEC officials were issuing PVCs to voters.

The assailants reportedly fired gunshots into the air, causing panic and forcing electoral officers to flee the scene before escaping with three packs of PVCs.

 

Preliminary findings also indicate that some Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) devices were taken during the attack.

Reacting to the incident, the Commissioner of Police in the state, Ibrahim Gotan, condemned the attack and ordered a full-scale investigation. He assured that tactical and intelligence teams have been deployed to track down the perpetrators and recover the stolen items.

Police authorities also confirmed that normalcy has been restored in parts of Ile-Ife, where suspected thugs had earlier caused disturbances around the Mayfair Garage area.

Meanwhile, INEC officials say the incident will not affect the upcoming governorship election scheduled for August 15, 2026. Adedayo Oketola, Chief Press Secretary to the state INEC chairman, noted that the number of stolen BVAS devices is minimal and that the commission will replace any missing equipment.

He emphasized that BVAS devices are configured in a way that makes them unusable outside official processes, assuring that the integrity of the election remains intact.

INEC also stated that it is awaiting the outcome of the police investigation, expressing confidence that those responsible will be apprehended and prosecuted.

Residents and eyewitnesses have been urged to provide useful information to security agencies to aid ongoing investigations.