Governor Hope Uzodinma of Imo has updated President Muhammadu Buhari on security situations in the state, including the recent killing of staff of the Independent National Electoral Commission by bandits in the state.

The governor, who spoke to State House correspondents after the closed door meeting with the president, stated that the initial plan of the bandits was not the INEC staff but the Correctional Centre Facility in Okigwe.

“The incident that happened, that involved the INEC staff, regrettably, INEC was not the target.

“We had the information that the Correctional Centre Facility in Okigwe was to be attacked by bandits and we caught their conversation so we fortified the facility,” he said.

Mr Uzodinma added, “True to it, the bandits, while approaching Okigwe, saw how fortified the place was and they tried to escape through Ihitte-Uboma, where they ran into INEC staff on continuous voter registration and out of anger and frustration, attacked them.”

Nonetheless, he said two suspects were apprehended on Monday in connection with the incident and are currently helping the police in their investigation.

“Two of the bandits were arrested on Monday and are helping the Nigerian police command in the state, to do a very thorough investigation. Until that is done, I will not speak much on that,” he said.

The INEC staff were attacked while carrying out the on-going continuous voter registration exercise on the fateful day.

Mr Uzodinma dismissed the claim that the state government was responsible for some of the attacks in the state and beyond due to internal wrangling within the governing party.

(NAN)