A vehicle loaded with palliatives intended for journalists was attacked by over 100 hoodlums in Calabar, Cross River State. The bus, owned by the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) Cross River State Council, was en route to the NUJ Secretariat when the incident occurred.
Journalists had gathered at the government warehouse on Barracks Road after being informed by the Director of Cross River State Emergency Management Agency (CR-SEMA), Rev. James Anam, about the latest distribution phase. They successfully loaded the food items into the bus and started their journey to the NUJ Secretariat.
However, about an hour ago, as the bus moved slowly through the streets, hoodlums launched an attack, hurling stones at the vehicle. The attackers managed to break the windows and steal many of the food items inside.
Joseph Akpaenin, the bus driver, recounted his ordeal, mentioning that his phone was stolen, and he sustained a bruised shoulder during the attack.
He said, “Our saving grace was when the boot of the bus flung open with several bags of rice and garri dropping off, he said the mob’s focus shifted from the bus to the items dropping off the bus giving enough way for him to scamper to safety.”
The attack did not end without more injuries. A reporter from the Tribune, Joseph Abasi-Abasi, and the Council’s auxiliary staff member, Saviour Ekpenyong, suffered severe bruises and are currently receiving treatment at an undisclosed medical facility.
