Police raids old residency museum, Calabar

Police in Calabar, the Cross-River state capital, have raided the old residency museum arresting over 50 people who were either eating at the restaurant or doing business there. The police, who were heavily armed, arrived the museum in a commando style and ordered everyone to stop further business or eating and match toward standby trucks/vehicles.

The Old Residency Museum shared fence with official residences of state governor, Ben Ayade, his deputy, Ivara Esu and state Chief Judge, Okoi Ikpi Itam, as well as the Presidential Lodge, also has a high brow relaxation spot frequented by mostly working class individuals.

“Policemen arrived this place and started arresting us, claiming that the arrest was an order from above. Most of us were even eating and we were ordered to abandon our food and drinks. I just closed from work and because my wife has travelled, I came here to have a meal before going home and now I have been arrested and thrown into a truck.

They say I cannot carry my car, like several other persons also arrested,” a victim confided.
Following the high level of security in the area, several residents of Calabar frequent the bar and eateries. “I come here to relax because in Calabar South where I live, the level of insecurity there is high and now that I have been arrested, I don’t think I will come here again,” our source hinted.

It was gathered that those arrested are at press time being conveyed to the Diamond Hill Police Headquarters, in Calabar and efforts to reach the Police Public Relations Officer, Cross River state command proved abortive as declined picking her call.