Unknown gunmen, suspected to be members of the Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, this afternoon engaged security operatives in a shootout for about three hours at the border town of Orsumoghu town.
The town is about two kilometres from Orsu Local Government Area in Imo State.
At the Mbosi Orsumoghu/Azia junction, a group of journalists monitoring the supplementary election in Ihiala local government ran into the security personnel comprising soldiers, police, civil defense, among others, who asked them to turn back immediately because IPOB was operating in the area.
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One of them told Vanguard that they have been exchanging fire with IPOB.
He added that following the superior fire power of security operatives, the suspected secessionists ran into the bush.
The unknown gunmen were suspected to be going to the Ihiala local government headquarters, where collation of the supplementary election would take place later in the day.
“For your own safety, just turn back to Ihiala and drive through Onitsha to Awka.
“If you pass through this place, those people may attack you,” he advised.
At the Ihiala Divisional Polite Station, a convoy of reinforcement with over 20 truck-load of heavily armed personnel was seen heading to the area.