The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has said it is awaiting police report on the attack on its officials in Osun State before deciding on the next line of action, including whether the stolen Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs) will be reprinted ahead of the August 15 governorship election.

The commission’s National Commissioner and Chairman of the Information and Voter Education Committee, Mohammed Haruna, disclosed this in an interview with The Guardian on Monday while reacting to the attack by suspected gunmen on officials distributing PVCs in Odo-Otin Local Government Area of the state.

“We are actually waiting for the police report. The thing happened yesterday and we are waiting for the police to submit the report,” Haruna said.

Asked about the implications of the incident for the forthcoming governorship election and whether the stolen PVCs would be reprinted, he said it was too early for the commission to make a decision.

“That would depend on how early the police will submit their report on it. You know that the election is days away, so we can’t say for now. It depends on how early the police submit their report,” he added.

The reaction followed Sunday’s attack on INEC officials at Oyinlola DC Primary School, Ward 2, in Odo-Otin Local Government Area, where suspected gunmen reportedly disrupted the distribution of PVCs and made away with three packs of the cards.

According to the Osun State Police Command, about 10 suspected thugs stormed the distribution centre, fired several gunshots into the air and forced electoral officials to flee before escaping with the PVCs.

The Police Public Relations Officer in the state, DSP Abiodun Ojelabi, said the Commissioner of Police, Ibrahim Gotan, had condemned the attack and ordered a comprehensive investigation to identify, arrest and prosecute those responsible.

He said tactical and intelligence assets had been deployed to apprehend the perpetrators and recover the stolen PVCs.

Ojelabi also appealed to residents to remain calm, obey the law and provide useful information that could aid the investigation, warning that anyone seeking to exploit the incident to foment violence or disrupt public peace would face the full weight of the law.

The incident is the latest security concern ahead of the August 15 Osun State governorship election, with political parties and security agencies intensifying preparations for the poll.