Operatives of the Nigerian Navy Forward Operating Base in Ibaka, Mbo Local Government Area of Akwa Ibom State, Monday allegedly assaulted and battered three police officers including a Deputy Supretendent of Police.
It was gathered that the incident which happened at the Naval check point at Ibaka, was as a result of disagreement between the security officers over right of passage at the checkpoint.
Reports have it that trouble started when one of the police officers was seen passing through an unauthorized way at the checkpoint, but was not allowed by the Naval men at the checkpoint. This allegedly resulted into a serious altercation with one of the policemen sustaining serious injuries all over his body.
Though the State Police Public Relations Officer, Odiko Macdon, who is now on transfer and yet to hand over to his successor could not pick calls to confirm the incident, the Secretary, Ibaka Youths, Mr Daniel Dan, confirmed the incident while speaking with our corespondent in Uyo on phone on Tuesday, disclosing that the incident happened following disagreement over right of passage at the checkpoint.
Dan said he was going back to Ibaka on completion of his assignment in Nwang, a neighbouring village when he ran into the fracas between the Naval Officers and men of the Nigerian police at the naval checkpoint.
“I was at Nwang, a neighbouring village on community assignment which the Youth president of Ibaka gave to me. On our way to Ibaka, as we were entering Ibaka check point I saw some police and the naval officers struggling with each other.
“On enquiry, the naval officers said that the police officer passed through the checkpoint where he shouldn’t have passed through” Dan said.
The incident, it was gathered caused panic within Ibaka and environs with many residents condemning the high-handedness of the men of the Nigerian Navy officers who they alleged have always been in the habit of harassing, intimidating and torturing innocent passerbys.
Efforts to get the Naval formation in the area for their reaction was not possible as at the time of this report.
