Armed men, about 50 in number, attacked the Enugu State Government House in the early hours of yesterday, the Chief Security Officer to the Governor, Fidelis Ogarabe, has confirmed.

Ogarabe told reporters yesterday in Enugu that the armed men struck at the about 4.30am and attempted to force their way into the premises. He said one person was killed while three others sustained injuries.

His words: “I left Government House at about 2am and was in my house when I received a call from my men around 4am, alerting me of the presence of some armed invaders at Government House. I drove to the place immediately and saw some persons numbering about 50, armed with machetes at the gate, trying to force their way into the premises.

“I ordered my men to move into action immediately and one of them was gunned down while three others were arrested. The others threw away their machetes and escaped.”

Ogarabe said his men recovered machetes, flags and insignia linked to a cult group. He said a member of the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps suffered machete cuts while a military patrol vehicle was also attacked as the men tried to force their way in. He said that those arrested were handed over to the nearby New Haven Police Station.

Police Public Relations Officer, Ebere Amaraizu, said: “No fewer than three persons have been arrested by operatives of the (police) command as investigations into the incident have commenced in full scale.”

A resident, who lives close to Government House, said he heard about 50 gunshots in the vicinity around 4.30am. The resident, who pleaded anonymity, also said he sighted some youths shouting and running along Nza Street, Independence Layout area.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) gathered that Governor Sullivan Chime was in his country home at Udi when the men struck.

The Chief Press Secretary to the Governor, Chukwudi Achife, confirmed the report while the

The Commissioner of Police in the state, Adamu Abubakar, has already visited the scene.

•Adapted from a Guardian report. Photo shows Governor Chime.