Mudiaga Affe, Calabar
Following Tuesday’s clash between the Navy and Police in Calabar, there are indications that the naval operatives used a General Purpose Machine Gun to bring down a section of the Akim Police Barracks in the Cross River State capital.
Trouble started earlier on Tuesday when an unidentified naval rating was shot in the left shoulder a by policeman over an alleged traffic offence.
The situation later degenerated as a section of the Akim Police Station, which is located along the busy IBB Way, was allegedly burnt by some naval personnel, while two vehicles were also set ablaze.
It was learnt that two policemen identified as Sergeant Odudu and Corporal Emmanuel Mbang were shot dead at close range while a third policeman simply identified as Ibiam was shot in the left eye.
Navy used a General Purpose Machine Gun to bring down a section of the Akim Police Barracks in the Cross River State capital.
An eyewitness, Samson Inok, said at least three naval operatives emerged from a nearby gutter and shot the policemen who were trying to escape from the Police Station.
Inok said, “The navy operatives came out from the gutter and started shooting at a very close range with their guns while a GPMP which was mounted some distance away was firing at the station. This is not an ordinary gun that they use for this kind of small clash. Those that shot the policemen came out from the gutter.
“They accessed the police station through the underground water drainage channel. The policemen that died were shot at a close range by naval personnel that emerged from the gutter. They were running out for safety thinking that the naval men were far away.”
