The police in Cross River State have reacted to a gory incident that occurred yesterday during the APC House of Representatives primary in Akpabuyo/Bakassi/Calabar South.
Mr. Joseph Bassey, the Deputy Speaker of the State House of Assembly, and Mr. Saviour Nyong, the ex-Commissioner for Transport and Marine, were the candidates in the election.
According to eyewitnesses, one of the candidates allegedly stole primary materials. This, they claimed, enraged supporters of the other candidates, resulting in a brawl.
During this time, the Police Department's anti-cultism section came in to restore order. Shots were fired, which resulted in a stampede.
Emman, a youth leader in Calabar South's Ward 7, went to where he had parked his car and was apparently asking one of the gunmen to let him take it, but was shot.
Irene Ugbo, the state Police Public Relations Officer, defended the officers, saying that hoodlums had entered the site after the primaries had ended. We had no idea what they were up to.
"Our men were shot at by hoodlums, and in the process, the police responded, three of our men were wounded, and they are currently being treated," she said.
The suspect was armed with a pistol.
"We don't know if the action was motivated by politics." We already have information that they are planning an attack on some of our units, notably the Anti Cult and Kidnapping Squad (ACKS) based at the Cultural Centre."
One police officer was slain three days ago in Obudu during a PDP primary poll.
Source: Dailypost