The decision was made only about 15 hours after a similar action was taken in Ihitte Uboma LGA in response to a report by its Resident Electoral Commissioner, Prof. Emeka Ezeonu, on the killing of an INEC staff member, Anthony Nwokorie, who was involved in the CVR by gunmen.
Festus Okoye, INEC National Commissioner and Chairman of the Information and Voter Education Committee, made the latest announcement on Friday in an Abuja statement.
"Further to the unfortunate incident in Imo State yesterday (Thursday) in which our staff was killed by gunmen in Ihitte Uboma Local Government Area, the commission has decided to suspend the ongoing Continuous Voter Registration exercise in all 54 additional centres established to facilitate voter registration across the state."
"The exercise will now be limited to our state and local government area offices, with the exception of Orsu, Njaba, and Ihitte Uboma, where it has been suspended indefinitely," Okoye said. "This decision follows a further report from the Resident Electoral Commissioner, Prof. Francis Ezeonu, of threats to our staff involved in the exercise in Ehime Mbano Local Government Area."
He stated that the commission had previously limited the exercise to its offices in Oru East, Oru West, Orlu, and Ohaji-Egbema LGAs.
Meanwhile, the commission announced that it has made contact with two of its employees who were missing following Thursday's attack in Ihitte Uboma.
"They are safe and will be reunited with their families shortly." The commission's top priority continues to be the safety of its employees. "We will continue to work with security agencies and community leaders to protect and facilitate staff," Okoye said.
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