Officers of the Imo Police Command early on Monday killed three of the gunmen who attacked the state headquarters the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
Two of the gunmen where arrested alive, while a large cache of arms and ammunition was recovered from the gunmen, who wore charms and amulets ostensibly to protect themselves.

The attack affected the part of the building occupied by the Election and Party Monitoring (EPM) Department and one official utility vehicle (a Toyota Hilux pickup van) was burnt.

A statement by
Festus Okoye, National Commissioner & Chairman, Information and Voter Education Committee of INEC said: “The Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) for Imo State, Prof. Sylvia Uchenna Agu, has reported that our State Headquarters office in Owerri was attacked by unknown gunmen. 

“The incident occurred at about 3.00am today Monday 12th December 2022.

“The response of the security and emergency services (the Fire Service) curtailed further damage to the building and other assets of the Commission. 

“No critical election materials were destroyed. There were also no casualties involving staff of the Commission.

“This is third attack on the Commission’s facilities in Imo State in less than two weeks following the earlier attacks on our Orlu LGA office on Thursday 1st December 2022 and Oru West LGA office on Sunday 4th December 2022.

“Our Imo State Headqurters is located in the centre of the Owerri, the State capital, between a court and the State secretariat. 

“This is therefore yet another systematic attack targetted at the Commission’s assets across the country, more so on the day that the collection of Permanent Voters’ Cards (PVCs) commences nationwide ahead of the 2023 General Election”.