The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) office in Orlu, Imo State, was attacked by gunmen on Friday, but police were able to repel the attack.
At about 4:30 p.m., thugs believed to be affiliated with the outlawed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) and its armed wing, the Eastern Security Network (ESN), broke into the Commission’s headquarters by scaling the fence.
The police spokesman, CSP Michael Abattam, who confirmed the incident, said: “The gunmen suspected to be IPOB/ESN members threw Improvised Explosive Devices( IEDs) into the office from outside the fence shooting sporadically to fight their way into the office.”
He said the police operatives engaged the hoodlums in a gun duel and in the process a number of them sustained bullet injuries.
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“They were suppressed, having suffered a huge defeat, with a number of them sustaining various degrees of bullet wounds, they retreated, into their vehicles and zoomed off but were given a hot chase by the operatives,” he said.
He said however no life was lost and no arms/ammunition was carted away.
“The INEC main building was not affected by the explosives only minor damage was done on the security post caused by the fire from the explosives which were put off immediately by the police operatives,” he said.
Meanwhile, he said efforts were in top gear to arrest the fleeing suspects.
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