Suspected political thugs disrupted the planned opening of an African Democratic Congress (ADC) secretariat on Saturday in Bakassi Local Government Area, Cross River State.
Reports indicate that the attackers stormed the venue, dispersing party supporters and destroying canopies, chairs, loudspeakers, and other equipment arranged for the ceremony.
A video circulating on social media showed a group of youths forcefully dismantling the setup while shouting that the ADC would not be allowed to operate in the council area. In the footage, a man believed to be leading the group was heard instructing others to scatter everything, claiming the ADC was absent while the APC was allegedly “busy fixing the council area.”
Confirming the incident, the Cross River State Police Command described the perpetrators as hoodlums and said officers were deployed to restore order.
The command’s spokesman, ASP Sunday Eitokpah, stated in a release on Sunday that the event was about to commence when “hoodlums from nowhere came and scattered the canopies, chairs, and sound systems.” He added that the situation had been brought under control to prevent escalation into a full-blown crisis.
“Officers and a tactical team are at the scene. The event could not continue. Given the chaotic situation and the volatile nature of the area, no arrests have been made for now,” Eitokpah said.
It would be recalled that a similar disruption occurred on Tuesday when the ADC’s activities in Calabar were reportedly interrupted. The party subsequently raised the alarm over what it described as an attempt to hijack its structures in the state.
