19 ad-hoc staff of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), who were kidnapped in Imo State in the early hours of Saturday have been rescued.
The officials were rescued by operatives of the Imo State Police Command, the command’s Public Relations Officer, Chinenye Chijioke-Osuji, told newsmen.
The police spokesperson said the operatives swung into action immediately they got information about the abduction.
The rescued Ad-Hoc staff of the electoral commission were on their way to seven different polling units in Ugbelie ward 06 in Ideato South Local Government Area of the State when they were kidnapped.
She added that some election materials, including BVAS and sensitive materials, were not recovered.
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Meanwhile, no fewer than twenty-two villagers have been reportedly killed by gunmen at Majifa village in Kankara Local Government Area of Katsina State.
According to eyewitnesses, the attack took place after the bandits attended a reception for one of their celebrated friends, Mai Katifar Mutuwa.
According to a source, the bandits came into the village shooting sporadically, a situation that forced the villagers to be running helter skelter.
He said twenty-two people were killed instantly as a result of the attack, while many women and children were abducted by the bandits.
He also confirmed that several other residents were badly wounded and are currently hospitalized.
When contacted on phone, the State Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO) SP Gambo Isah confirmed the incident, saying that the bandits had been facing serious resistance from the members of the vigilante in the area.
However, the State police spokesman said that fifteen people were killed, while five others have been hospitalised.
He said that the police were still compiling casualty figures as of the time of reporting the incident.
Isah also said that some members of the bandits were equally killed, but that the police could not give the figure as the bandits evacu