Police Rescue Hostage Quarry Workers in Cross River

Operatives of the Cross River State Police Command have successfully rescued workers, including Indian nationals, held hostage by armed youths at Akamkpa Quarry Limited in Obung Community.

The incident followed  the termination of  their appointments by the company’s management prompting the affected workers to mobilize youths who blocked the company premises road, damaged vehicles, and held workers hostage.

The command’s Public Relations Officer, SP Irene Ugbo, who confirmed the rescue operation in a statement Calabar on Tuesday, said upon receiving distress call from the DPO of Akamkpa Division assessing the situation, the state commissioner of police CP Rashid Afegbua, immediately dispatched tactical teams to the DPO to proceed to the scene.

The statement said, “Following termination of appointment of nine workers by Akamkpa Quarry Limited located at Obung Community by Managements, the affected workers on 11th August at about 1320hrs mobilized youths with some of them armed with locally made guns, machetes and glugs. They blocked the company premises road refusing them entry or exit. ‘’

“They were also damaging company vehicles in anger as regards their sack, holding workers hostage which included some Indian Nationals, and burnt down the house of their chief.”

 “As they arrived, the hostile youths, howled stones at police patrol vehicles causing damages and fired locally made pistol pellets at them which cause some of them to sustain minor injuries.”

The command spokesperson disclosed that the youths, armed with locally made guns, machetes, and clubs, stormed the company premises, refusing entry or exit, and damaging company vehicles, adding that some Indian nationals among the workers were held hostage, and the house of the community chief was burnt down.

The police responded by engaging the youths, arresting some suspects, and recovering one long automatic locally made rifle, one locally made pistol, one machete, and several expended cartridges.

The State commissioner of Police, CP Rashid Afegbua warned youths against confronting police officers while performing their lawful duties and advised community leaders to counsel their youths on the consequences of such actions.