Gunmen have attacked operatives of the Anambra Vigilante Services and killed three of them in Anambra State.
The incident happened around 2 am on Thursday at the Ihiala Local Government Secretariat in Ihiala town.
People in the area say the attackers beheaded one of the vigilantes.
A source added that the gunmen used an improvised explosive device (IED) to burn down five buildings in the area.
Police authorities in Anambra State have confirmed the incident to journalists.
The spokesperson of the Anambra State Police Command, DSP Toochukwu Ikenga said the police were alerted and that his officers confronted the gunmen and killed one of them.
He said the officers recovered two locally made IED launchers, seven undetonated IEDs, 40 rounds of live cartridges, 15 live 7.62MM Ak47 ammunition, knives, charms, and other weapons.
Ikenga added that an investigation into the issue is ongoing.
