Four Policemen who were at a security checkpoint along Idundung road in the outskirt of Calabar Municipality were taken unawares by some unknown gunmen and shot dead.
The incident according to residents of the area called Ayan-Mbat community, happened around 1.00 am on Thursday.
The Nation gathered that the slain Policemen, four in number, despite positioning themselves at two opposite ends of the security checkpoint were reportedly ambushed and killed by the unknown gunmen.
When our reporter visited the scene of the incident on Thursday, the dead bodies of the Policemen have been evacuated.
The Police Commissioner in the state, CP Sikiru Kayode Akande confirmed the incident saying that four policemen on mufti were involved.
His words, “the target of the people is to dampen our spirit. But we are resolute and we are going to strike back at them. It is often said, he who laughs last laughs best; Let Cross River People wait for that last laugh. It will make us happier.”
He added, “We have arrested five persons who are connected with the development. We will still arrest more. We had inkling that it is a group of suspected cultists that are working hard to get weapons for their initiation that is coming up very soon. So, in four days maximum, we will get all of those involve in this dastardly act.”
The CP further disclosed that the Police have recovered some of the weapons that were taken at the spot. The Nation gathered that two guns have been recovered out of four.
He however noted that the point that was attack is not one known to the State Police command headquarters. “If it was known to us we would have found a way of giving them cover. That check point is not this Command’s arrangement. If you were there you will see that they were in mufti.”
“By God’s Grace, we will get all our guns back. It is only the lives we will not get back. For the names of the officers, we have to inform the family first before making the names public. I want to assure you that our spirit is not dampened. In fact we are going to continue to work very hard after the incident,” he said.
The Nation
