At least three policemen have reportedly drowned after a boat carrying them to the southern Ijaw Local Government Area of Bayelsa State capsized.

The officers were reportedly traveling to the area to monitor the senatorial bye-election.

The Police Public Relations Officer, Bayelsa State Police Command, Asinim Butswat, confirmed the accident.

“The boat capsized on their way to Oporoma, headquarters of Southern Ijaw Local Government Area,”he said.

Butswat, however, said the number of casualties had yet to be ascertained.

An officer who spoke anonymously as he was not authorised to speak said, “this is the hazard of the job. There was a boat mishap involving some of our colleagues on their way for election duty in Southern Ijaw. As speak with you three of the officers are missing.”

Bye-elections are currently holding in 11 states across the country, covering six senatorial districts and nine state constituencies.

While Lagos and Cross River are the only states where both senatorial and state assembly elections are being conducted, the other nine states are either holding senatorial or assembly elections.

INEC had postponed the elections earlier scheduled for October 31, following the #EndSARS protests and other security and environmental challenges.