No fewer than 30 officials of Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) were yesterday, held hostage by gunmen in Abi Local Council of Cross River State.

They were deployed for the re-run election in Ekureku 1 and 2, for Abi\Yakurr Federal Constituency, which witnessed massive turnout. After due intervention by security and INEC top officials, however, they were released.

The Cross River State Resident Electoral Commissioner, Mr. Johnson Alalibo, accompanied by INEC National Commissioner, Muhammed Lekki, while monitoring the exercise in Ekureku 1 and 2, among others, revealed this to newsmen. He said INEC officials were held hostage at Itighidi, while going to Ekureku and other areas where election held. They were later freed, though one INEC staff was still missing.

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