The distribution of Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs) in Okuku, Odo-Otin Local Government Area of Osun State, was abruptly halted on Sunday after armed hoodlums invaded an Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) distribution centre and reportedly escaped with packs of voter cards.

The incident occurred at Oyinlola DC Primary School, Ward 2, where eligible voters had gathered to collect their PVCs ahead of the August 15 governorship election.

An eyewitness, who identified himself simply as Gbadebo, said panic erupted when the assailants, numbering about eight, suddenly appeared at the venue and began firing gunshots into the air, forcing INEC officials and prospective voters to flee for safety.

According to him, the attackers headed directly to the area where the voter cards had been kept by electoral officials and fled with several packs of the PVCs before escaping from the scene.

“I was among those waiting to collect my PVC when the incident happened. The gunshots caused confusion and everyone ran in different directions. The attackers appeared to know exactly where the cards were kept and took away some of the packs before leaving,” the witness recounted.

Confirming the development, the spokesperson for the Osun State Police Command, SP Abiodun Ojelabi, said the Commissioner of Police, Ibrahim Gotan, had strongly condemned the attack and ordered an immediate investigation into the incident.

According to the police, the attack was carried out by about 10 armed thugs who disrupted the peaceful distribution exercise by firing sporadically into the air before making away with three packs of Permanent Voter Cards.

Ojelabi said the Commissioner of Police had directed detectives to launch a comprehensive investigation aimed at identifying, arresting and prosecuting everyone connected with the attack.

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He added that tactical operatives and intelligence teams had been mobilised to trail the suspects, recover the stolen voter cards and prevent any attempt to compromise the electoral process.

The police spokesperson reaffirmed the command’s commitment to maintaining law and order throughout the election period, assuring residents that every effort was being made to bring the perpetrators to justice.

He appealed to members of the public, particularly residents of the area and anyone with useful information, to assist the investigation by reporting to the nearest police station or contacting the command through its emergency lines.

The command also urged residents to remain calm, law-abiding and avoid actions capable of escalating tension, assuring that adequate security measures had been put in place to safeguard electoral activities across the state.