No fewer than four persons have died in an attack on the secretariat of the Ihiala Local Government Area of Anambra State.

It was gathered that the assailants, in the attack which occurred at about 1 a.m. on Thursday, engaged the vigilante operatives securing the secretariat in a gun battle.

A source in the community disclosed that three of the vigilante men and one of the hoodlums lost their lives during the gun duel.

The source said the gunmen razed many buildings at the secretariat, including the administrative block, Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Health office building, and National Youth Service Service Corps (NYSC) office, among others.

“The gunmen came from Imo State near the border from Orlu. Unfortunately, security authorities arrived shortly after they left,” he added.

Confirming the incident, the Anambra State Police Public Relations Officer, Tochukwu Ikenga, said one of the assailants and three vigilante operatives on duty were killed with one beheaded.

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Ikenga revealed that five buildings were set ablaze with IED and petrol bombs, adding that an investigation into the incident was ongoing.

“Following the Police/Military operations ongoing in ihaila and its neighboring town, the Operatives responding to a distress call at about 2:55 am, today 12/1/2023 of an attack on Ihiala local government headquarters, neutralize one of the attackers, recovered two locally made IED luncher, seven undenoted IED, forty pieces of live cartridges, fifteen live 7.62MM Ak47 ammunition, knives, charms, and other dangerous weapons.

“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 police spokesman said.

The Star