IPOB Fingered In Killing Of 2 Police Officers In Cross River

The Cross-River Police Command says two of its officers were killed by gunmen at the Oyadama checkpoint in Obubra Local Government Area of the state.

The state’s police spokesperson, Irene Ugbo, who confirmed the incident to THE WHISTLER on Wednesday, said some residents claimed that the assailants chanted ‘IPOB’ before killing the officers.

According to Ugbo, the unknown gunmen also injured one officer and carted away two riffles at about 11 pm on Tuesday night.

“It happened last night, around 11 pm or there abouts but report is alleging six; it is not six, that is what we are trying to debunk now.

“We lost two police officers and one was injured, and two of our riffles were taken,” Ugbo confirmed to THE WHISTLER.

She revealed that the gunmen had attacked Nko, a neighbouring community, but did not succeeded before moving to Obubra where they killed the officers.

Speaking further, the police spokesperson said information gathered from residents on that axis, indicated that the culprits chanted IPOB while they perpetrated the act.

“We heard that too, and according to people that heard the sound, and the noise they were making was IPOB, we do not really know how true it is, until investigation says so”

“But this morning, the CP has deployed our tactical team to that axis to recover the body and also comb the area too so we can get through to those hoodlums and we hope that they will come out with positive report,” she said.

The latest attack came barely a week after four officers were killed on duty at Ayan Mbat community along Idundu road in Calabar municipal.

On why police officers seemed to be targets of attacks in recent times, Ugbo told THE WHISTLER that such was not the case in over six years and wondered why the sudden repeated attacks on police officers in the state.

“It has not been consistent in fact, I have spent over six years being a spokesperson and that one that happened last week is the first ever we are experiencing in Cross River State.

“It has been happening in other neighbouring state, and all of a sudden this one happened last week. It was unfortunate and we were already trying to work towards that, for such not to happen again before this one happened,” she said.