Over 100 hoodlums have assaulted a bus loaded with palliatives intended for journalists, resulting in three injuries.
The incident occurred as the vehicle, belonging to the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) Cross River State Council, was en route to the NUJ Secretariat in Calabar.
The palliatives, meant for journalists as part of a distribution phase, were collected from a government warehouse on Barracks Road.
This distribution was facilitated by the Director of the Cross River State Emergency Management Agency (CR-SEMA), Rev. James Anam. Upon receiving the information, journalists swiftly moved to transport the food items.
The attack happened when the vehicle, moving at a slow pace, became the target of the hoodlums.
The attackers hurled stones at the bus, shattering its windows and stealing the food items inside.
The situation escalated when the bus’s boot unexpectedly opened, spilling bags of rice and garri onto the road. This diversion allowed the bus driver, Joseph Akpaenin, to flee the scene.
Akpaenin, whose phone was stolen in the attack, sustained a bruised shoulder.
Reflecting on the incident, he noted that the hoodlums’ attention shifted to the spilled palliatives, which provided a crucial moment for escape.
In addition to Akpaenin, Tribune reporter Joseph Abasi-Abasi and NUJ Council auxiliary staff member Saviour Ekpenyong were also injured in the attack.
Both suffered significant bruises and are currently receiving treatment at an undisclosed medical facility.
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