Over 10 persons were feared killed and several others injured
when Naval personnel and police men clashed in Calabar, Cross River State Akim
police Station opposite a military Barracks.
A policeman,
who escaped death by the whiskers told Daily Sun that the police station, including
the armoury was completely razed.
He said
trouble started yesterday afternoon when a police traffic warden stopped
a Naval officer who got angry and ordered his boy to beat him.
He said: “As
the Naval personal were battering the traffic officer, a deputy Superintendent
of Police who was passing by tried to settle the dispute, but the naval
personnel descended on him as well.
“A senior
police officer contacted the commander in charge of the unit. We thought the
matter was over until around 8.pm when some Naval personnel stormed Akim police
station and started shooting at officers and visitors at the station.
“The Naval
personnel did not stop at shooting at people, they set the police station,
including the armoury and suspects in the cell ablaze.
“ Over 10
persons were killed. I know of three policemen who were confirmed dead. Many
suspects in the cell died in the inferno. I narrowly escaped death. Few of us
who took to our heels survived but many others sustained injuries of varying
degrees. A witness, John Bolus said: “It was like a war-torn zone. I
thought it was another civil war. I was hearing the cacophony of gun shots and
I took to my heels. I think the government should do something about it. The
Navy should submit to the constitution.”
When
contacted Force Public Relations Officer, Jimoh Moshood, said he had not been
briefed. Meanwhile, the Naval authorities said, last night, only one person was
shot. According to them, it was a minor incident involving a Naval officer
and a policeman, which was later resolved.
- Sun News
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