Former Gov. Rescues INEC Officials, Corps Members, Electoral Materials From Hooligans In Cross River

From Diana Okon-Effiong, Mkpani

Chief Clement Ebri, former civilian governor of Cross River Saturday rescued INEC officials, NYSC members and electoral materials from hoodlums who attacked them in Mkpani area of the State.

Ebri told journalists in Mkpani, Yakurr Local Government Area of Cross River that the attack on INEC officials in his country home, Mkpani `this morning’

He said : “Yes I was in my house in the village, Mkpani, Yakurr Local Government Area when I heard some commotion and saw a vehicle reversing into my compound. I came out to see electoral officials, policemen in their uniforms with materials all in there.

“I asked them `what are you doing here’ and they told me that unknown persons had snatched at gunpoint some of the materials meant for the governorship and state house of assembly polls.Thy told me that e materials were meant for Government Secondary School, Mkpan and that the materials were snatched from some vehicles ahead of them

“They said that some of them, INEC officials, had to run to my house for shelter because they felt it will be safer. I told them they cannot stay in my compound with those sensitive materials and they told me `look they will kill us’. The Corps members were crying and begging `daddy don’t allow them to kill us’.

“Right away I called the police, the DPO here and told them` your people are here come and rescue them because I felt those who pursued them will still come for them if something is not done. After a while the DPO had to come in with the army and police to take the materials intact.

He said the Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) for Cross River, Dr Okey Ezeani had called to commend him.

“I have not met the Resident Electoral Commissioner, Dr Okey Ezeani, but I got an unknown phone call which turned out to be from him today thanking me for what I did.He commended me for saving the lives of his officials and preserving the electoral materials I am a father I have my children and I would not sit down, see and allow people killed in my house,’’ Ebri said.

He alleged that PDP thugs might have been responsible for the incident.

He alleged the “PDP thugs’’ who threatened the electoral officials at Mkpani descended on my fired several gunshot, broke his perimeter fence, destroyed part of compound, and broke the windscreen of some vehicles parked there.

He said that some persons lost their lives in the community following the incident.

“Later on we understood that someway in the village they shot and killed somebody and a vehicle even ran over some other person. So were have two casualties her at the moment. Nobody shot a gun from my premises. In the end I am even the victim. We were attacked in this compound, people had to take refuge here and they were rescued by the police which I alerted,’’ Ebri said.