Fire has gutted parts of the storage facilities of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in Abuja. The commission in a swift response said that the incident will not affect the upcoming general elections holding on March 28 and April 11.

A Channels TV report quoted INEC Commissioner in charge of Electoral Operations and Logistics, Mohammed Hamanga, as saying that the affected materials were obsolete and in the process of being destroyed.

An INEC official who spoke to the TV station disclosed that the fire outbreak was as a result of a surge in electricity after three days of power cut.

It was gathered that the fire, which started at 11:00 p.m., was contained by 2:00 a.m. due to the quick response of officials of INEC and the Federal Fire Service, who forced their way into the warehouse.

•Photo shows INEC Chairman Attahiru Jega.