Suspected APC thugs opened fire during a local by-election in Ekiti on Saturday, according to social media reports, instantly killing a female police officer and two others.

It was unclear whether the police have arrested suspects in the violence, which occurred at Ward 7, Polling Unit, during an exercise to elect a new House of Assembly member for Ekiti East Constituency 1.

The identity of the policewoman was not immediately learnt by Peoples Gazette, but a spokesman for the police in Ekiti said he had received reports and would soon issue a statement about the crisis. 

There were immediate claims that those responsible for the attacks were APC loyalists seeking to disrupt the exercise across the constituency.

INEC in a statement confirmed the attack but said the officer was only wounded and not dead. The electoral office said three civilians were shot dead by armed attackers and the election has been suspended as a result.