Hoodlums were said to have chopped off the hand of an official of the Independent National Electoral Commission (inec) in Igbo-etche community, etche Local Government Area of Rivers State in the supplementary legislative election holding today.

One of the officials who was on duty with the victim was also said to have been taken hostage by the thugs and has not been rescued.

Although there is heavy security presence in etche but there was panic in the area due to series of abduction attempts of policemen on duty and inec officials.

The victim whose hand was chopped off was taken to inec headquarters in Port Harcourt for treatment.