Police authorities have confirmed that they lost one officer during a gun battle with suspected militants in Bakassi on Friday morning, at Ikang Jetty, Bakassi LGA Cross River State.
The Public Relations Officer of the Cross River State Police Command, Irene Ugbo said the gun duel was fierce and that they succeeded in neutralising the group.
“It is not true that we lost two men when the Bakassi militants attacked us. We lost a policeman.
“We are still on their trail and we are sure to get at them soon”, she said.
Sources said a good number of other persons were injured during the attack and were evacuated to hospital.
As at time of this report, the name of the militant group was not known as none had claimed responsibility.
The policemen were said to be on duty at the jetty.
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Meanwhile, a Pro-Biafra militant group bombed two gunboats in retaliation to the killing of their commander and disappearance of another by Cameroonian forces.
An officer of the Nigerian Air Force in Calabar has killed a man, identified as Asuquo Etim Umo, who was a staff of the Cross River State Commercial Transport Regulatory Agency (CTRA), popularly known as 100 Marian, over traffic related issue
Our reporter gathered that the incident happened Thursday evening.
Newsmen gathered that a CTRA enforcement team had impounded a vehicle over a certain traffic offence, took same to their park at the Cultural Centre complex where impounded vehicles are always kept, and got the tyres deflated in line with their mode of operation.
The driver of the vehicle, it was further learnt, therefore invited the owner of the vehicle, an Air Force officer, who arrived at the scene with some of his armed colleagues.
An eyewitness and CTRA staff, who preferred anonymity, told reporters that, “as soon as the vehicle’s tyres were deflated, the driver of the vehicle called the owner, an Air Force officer, who came with some armed officers.
“And, because the tyres were flattened, an argument ensued and while we were trying to work out things, the Air Force officer pulled out his gun and fired at Asuquo who was very vocal during the argument. That is how the vibrant young man lost his life in a twinkling of an eye”.
However, a group of young boys in the city have threatened a showdown over the matter, vowing to pay the Air Force back with its own coin.
A young man, who did not want his name in print, and who claimed to speak the mind of many of the enforcement agents and Calabar youth in general, said, “Asuquo will not die in vain. We will revenge.
“That guy who killed Asuquo must be brought to justice else we will make the streets of Calabar uncomfortable for all Air Force men. This is a promise”.
Meanwhile, the anti-kidnapping squad of the Police has arrested the driver of the vehicle while the Air Force officer is said to be on the run.
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