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Officials of the Rivers State Independent Electoral Commission, RSIEC and voters ran for their lives when police officers stormed Elekahia Primary School in Port Harcourt City local government area, on Saturday.

About 21 Hilux patrol vans with heavily armed officers drove into the school which has 10 polling units.

Officials of the Rivers State Independent Electoral Commission (RSEIC) who had set up their stands were chased out of the Ward.

One of the policemen was heard saying, ‘”Come here, remove that vest. What are you doing here? Common move!”

The policemen, some of whom were masked, also asked the officials to remove their vest and hand it to them.

The operatives also shot teargas canister directly into the crowd of people who who were running for their lives.

A policeman fired another teargas at by-standers at the entrance of the Street and residents who came out to cast their votes ran helter-skelter.

Many of RSIEC officials, voters and residents of the community ran into Boms streets in Elekahia community in confused manner, thereby creating tension in the area, as the several police patrol vans sped out of the area with many election materials.

When contacted, spokesperson of the State Police Command, Grace Iringe-Koko, said she was not aware of the incident.

“I’m not aware. You are just telling me now, ” she said.

The Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Kayode Egbetokun, had ordered his men not to provide security during the election, citing a court order.

On the election eve, Governor Siminalayi Fubara had accused the IGP of taking orders from some politicians in Abuja.

He had also vowed to hold Egbetokun responsible if there is breakdown of law and order in the state.

However, the IGP denied the allegations in a statement issued by Force Public Relations Officer, Muyiwa Adejobi.

Buildings and other property were shattered in the early hours of Saturday as explosives suspected to be dynamite shattered the secretariat of the All Progressives Congress along Aba Road in Port Harcourt, Rivers State capital.

The explosion brought down the gate of the secretariat while doors, windows and other property were destroyed.

This is the second time the Chief Tony Okocha-led APC would be experiencing such an attack at its secretariat this year.

This came as the local government elections is set to hold in the state today as the Rivers State Independent Electoral Commission said on Friday that all sensitive materials have been distributed to the various local government areas.

A viral video of the incident scene seen by our correspondent showed some workers at the facilities going round to ascertain the extent of damage.

When contacted, the spokesperson for the state police command, Grace Iringe-Koko, said she had yet to get a report on it but promised to revert.

The party has yet to make a statement on the incident.