The Resident Electoral Commissioner, REC in charge of Abia State, Joseph Iloh, was Tuesday, locked up by the staff of the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC in the state protesting unpaid benefits.

The enraged staffs who chanted war songs barricaded the entrance gate to the INEC headquarters located adjacent the Central Bank Umuahia.

They used their Staff Welfare bus to block the entrance gate insisting that the REC would not leave office until he had paid them all their outstanding benefits.

The REC is due for retirement in few weeks time.

According to one of the protesters who preferred anonymity, some of the outstanding benefits include allowances due to them from the recently concluded primaries of various political parties.

The REC could not be reached for his reaction as at the time of filing this report.

INEC Public Affairs Officer in the state, Mr Bamidele Oyetunji said it was an internal crisis, and had been sorted out.