Ihiala Local Government Council Secretariat in Anambra State came under fire on Thursday morning as gunmen attacked with explosives killing three security guards on the spot.
The Police Public Relations Officer PPRO in the state, Ikenga Tochukwu, who , confirmed the development in a statement to newsmen said several buildings in the LG council were also set ablaze by the attackers.
According to him, one of the attackers was killed when security operatives who responded to a distress call, engaged them in a firefight.
“The operatives responding to a distress call at about 2:55 am today 12/1/2023 of an attack on Ihiala local government headquarters neutralise one of the attackers,” the statement reads.
“The attackers had already murdered three vigilante operatives on duty, beheaded one, and set five buildings ablaze with IED and petrol bombs.
“The joint force operatives engaged the arsonist/attackers and obstructed them from causing further damages while some escaped with bullet wounds.”
The PPRO said security operatives recovered weapons from the attackers, including two locally made IED lunchers, seven undenoted IEDs, 40 pieces of live cartridges, 15 live 7.62mm AK47 ammunition, knives, and charms.”
He added that the dead bodies of the victims have been recovered and joint operations are still ongoing.
The development comes just few days after the Independent National Electoral Commission INEC warned that election might not hold as a result of insecurity .
Local Government Councils are important components of the electoral process as sensitive materials in the conduct of the election are stored and ad-hoc staff of the commission accommodated prior to election day.
lnsecurity in the South East is a recurring feature as stories of kidnappings, deaths and destruction of public facilities regularly fill the air.
