By Onwa Ekor
The Cross River Police Command has arrested a 27-year-old man, Victor Edet Yellow Duke, over an alleged attack on the convoy of the Nigerian Democratic Congress (NDC) presidential candidate, Mr Peter Obi, in Calabar.
The attack occurred at about 2:20 p.m. on Wednesday at the Watt Market Roundabout as Obi’s convoy was returning from the palace of the Obong of Calabar en route to Metropolitan Hotel for the party’s presidential town hall.
Police said a group of suspected hoodlums armed with machetes and sticks emerged from Calabar Road and Clerks Alley and smashed the windshields of some vehicles in the convoy.
Operatives deployed in the area responded swiftly with tear gas, leading to the arrest of one suspect while others fled.
The suspect was moved to the State Police Headquarters by the Violent Crime Response Unit (VCRU) for investigation.
Normalcy has since been restored in the area, police said.
The Commissioner of Police, CP Ajo Geoffrey Ordue, has ordered a thorough investigation to apprehend other suspects and establish the circumstances surrounding the attack.
The Command said the arrest does not amount to a determination of guilt, as the suspect remains entitled to presumption of innocence.
It assured residents and political stakeholders of adequate security for lawful political activities and urged the public to avoid spreading unverified information.
