CALABAR — A child was hospitalised following a gunfire incident that erupted during an operation by officials of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) in Ikang community, Bakassi Local Government Area of Cross River State NEGROIDHAVEN has confirmed.
The incident, which occurred on Wednesday evening, also left several residents injured and sparked tension within the community as youths accused operatives of excessive force during the operation.
Youth Leader of Ikang town, Linus Asuquo Esien, alleged that the incident occurred at about 5:10 p.m. while youths were holding a street meeting at Adim Street to discuss sanitation activities in the area.
According to him, panic broke out after gunshots were heard in the community.
Esien claimed that unidentified armed men stormed the area during the meeting, causing confusion among residents before they were later identified as NDLEA operatives.
He alleged that during the operation, a young boy sustained serious injuries while other persons, including a woman and an elderly man, reportedly lost consciousness amid the chaos.
“I went to the University of Calabar Teaching Hospital this morning and the boy is responding to treatment,” Esien said.
The youth leader further accused some operatives of attempting to implicate residents by allegedly placing suspected Indian hemp on them during arrests.
He also questioned the manner in which the operation was conducted, alleging that local security agencies in the area were not informed before the raid.
According to him, youths and military personnel later intercepted the operatives and demanded that the injured victims be returned for treatment.
Esien initially claimed that one of the victims had died but later clarified that no death was recorded, stating that the injured boy was still alive and receiving medical care.
Reacting to the allegations, the Public Relations Officer of the NDLEA Cross River Command, Sebastian Lebo, confirmed that a civilian sustained injuries during the operation but said the agency’s officers also came under attack from residents.
According to Lebo, two suspected drug dealers who were targets of the operation were arrested with what he described as “good quality exhibits” and are currently in custody.
“Our officers came under mob attack and unfortunately there was an injury,” he said.
“The injured person is at the University of Calabar Teaching Hospital and is positively responding to treatment.”
Lebo also disclosed that one of the agency’s officers sustained severe injuries during the confrontation, alleging that residents attacked operatives with machetes, bottles, shovels and other objects.
He denied claims that the injured civilian was abandoned by operatives, maintaining that the victim was taken to the hospital and is receiving treatment.
The NDLEA spokesperson added that the agency had commenced an internal review of the operation.
“Our commander was at the hospital where the boy’s father met him,” he said.
The incident has generated reactions within the Bakassi community, with some residents calling for a thorough investigation into the circumstances surrounding the operation and the use of force by security personnel.
As of the time of filing this report, authorities had not released further official details on the condition of the injured victims or the outcome of the ongoing review by the NDLEA.
