Police reject claims of shooting during UNICROSS protest
The Cross River State Police Command has denied allegations that its officers shot at student protesters from the University of Cross River State. According to Police Public Relations Officer Eitokpah Akata, the viral video circulating online is misleading and does not reflect the actual events. The protest was sparked by the death of three students in a road accident, and the police say they responded lawfully to maintain order. Governor Bassey Otu expressed sorrow over the incident and sent condolences to the affected families.
What happened
- The police stated that the protest began peacefully but later turned violent, with some protesters vandalising public infrastructure at the General Hospital.
- Eitokpah Akata said no firearms or live ammunition were used by officers during the protest, and no protesters were shot.
- Officers used non-lethal crowd-control measures, such as smoke canisters, to disperse the crowd when the situation escalated at the Government House.
- The police reported that no fatalities resulted from their actions during the protest.
- Intervention by government officials, including the Special Adviser on Security and Deputy Governor Peter Odey, helped restore normalcy.
