The Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC has raised alarm over the abduction of its staff and adhoc personnel deployed to Ngor-Okpala local government area of Imo state for the state house of Assembly bye-election by unknown gunmen.
Imo State Resident Electoral Commissioner in the state, Professor Francis Ezeonu told newsmen in Owerri that he had received distress calls from some of the staff who were being forced to thumbprint the bimodal verification and accreditation system, BIVAS.
He said while polls had closed in the constituency election across the local government there were incidences of violence and disruption of the exercise in some polling units.
Professor Ezeonu explained that rescue operations were ongoing and appealed to security agents to sustain the tempo and ensure safe release of INEC who are still in captivity.
Professor Ezeonu while calling on residents of the state to remain calm also appealed to law enforcement agents to tighten security to ensure hitch-free collation of results.
Reports however indicates that the election was peaceful and counting of votes concluded in some of the polling units in Ngor-Okpala local government area.
RADIO NIGERIA