A pilot vehicle belonging to the deputy governor of Cross River State, Prof Ivara Esu,was ambushed by a gang of armed cultist, shooting the driver and a policeman dead in the process.
The incident, According to the Nation took place along Goldie Street, opposite the NNPC filling station in Calabar at about 7pm Thursday night.
The pilot vehicle was said to have ran into a group of heavily armed cultists who were operating on the streets at that point in time.
It was learnt that the state capital has been under siege since last Sunday following a renewed clash between rival cult groups in the city. Since then about 15 deaths have been reported due to the conflict.
The newspaper quoted a source as saying: “After the executive council meeting at the Governor’s office in Calabar yesterday (Thursday), the pilot vehicle led others cars as they escorted the deputy governor to his house.
“After dropping him off, the vehicle proceeded to drop the security men in the vehicle in their houses. While they were driving along that Goldie Street axis, they ran into a traffic jam caused by a group of cultists operating in the area.
“The cultists, numbering over 20, were armed with guns and machetes. When the cultists descended on the pilot vehicle, they shot the driver and drove off with the car. The other people in the car scampered for safety.”
Police Public Relations Officer, Irene Ugbo, confirming the incident said the policeman that was shot did not survive but that the cultists did not do away with the vehicle, stating it has been recovered.
The suspects are still at large, as investigations are still ongoing,” Ugbo added.
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