5 June 2020
There is palpable tension in Ekpri Ikang at the Local Council headquarters of Bakassi local government area during the foiled inauguration of councillors-elect today.
The altercation ensued when yet-to-be-identified officers of the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) serving at a station in Bakassi reportedly snatched gallons of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) from some youths of Bakassi selling the PMS at a black-market around a petrol station in the environ.
The irate black-marketters pursued after the NSCDC jeep into which the snatched gallons of fuel was, even hanging by the sides of the vehicle as it proceeded.
It was in the attempt to scare away the pursuing youths and black-marketters who were, according to sources, already pelting stones and other objects at the NSCDC vehicle, that a trigger-happy, unidentified NSCDC officer pulled the trigger of his rifle and the strayed bullet caught one identified simply as Papa at the head.
Incidentally, Papa was not part of the protesting irate youths, according to an anonymous eye witness, Papa was standing by an electric pole counting some Naira notes when he was hit.
The irate youths have torched a NSCDC vehicle out of protest. They had earlier prevented the vehicle of the Vice Chairman of Bakassi who was about leaving the Council premises. When she succeeded in leaving, it was without protests. Few minutes to press time, the youths numbering over 100 persons with motorcycles where seen at Etta Agbor road in Calabar around the University of Calabar (UNICAL) Main Gate resisted by security operatives.
