Police Arrest Suspect Over Attack On Peter Obi’s Convoy In Calabar

The Cross River State Police Command has arrested a 27-year-old man, Victor Edet Yellow Duke, over the attack on the convoy of the presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), Peter Obi, in Calabar.

The attack, which occurred on Wednesday, November 4, 2026, around Watt Market Roundabout, reportedly left the windshields of some vehicles in Obi’s convoy damaged.

The incident happened at about 2:20 p.m. as the convoy was returning from the palace of the Obong of Calabar to Metropolitan Hotel, venue of the party’s presidential town hall meeting.

According to the police, suspected hoodlums armed with machetes and sticks emerged from the Calabar Road and Clerks Alley axis and attacked vehicles in the convoy, smashing their windshields.

The exact number of vehicles affected had yet to be established as of the time of filing this report.

Police operatives deployed in the area responded to the incident, using tear gas to disperse the attackers and arrest one suspect, while others fled.

The arrested suspect was subsequently taken to the State Police Headquarters by operatives of the Violent Crime Response Unit for discreet investigation and to prevent possible reprisals.

The police said normalcy had been restored in the area.

The Commissioner of Police, Ajo Geoffrey Ordue, has directed a thorough investigation to identify and apprehend other persons involved in the attack and establish the circumstances surrounding the incident.

The Command, however, cautioned that the arrest did not amount to a determination of guilt, stressing that the suspect remained entitled to the presumption of innocence pending the conclusion of investigations and any subsequent judicial proceedings.

It assured residents, political stakeholders and visitors that adequate security measures had been put in place to protect lives and property and ensure the peaceful conduct of political activities across the state.

The police also reiterated their commitment to providing equal security protection to all political parties, candidates and their supporters, irrespective of political affiliation.

Despite the incident, Obi went ahead to address the town hall meeting, where he pledged to tackle insecurity, kidnapping and corruption, while prioritising national unity, education, healthcare and citizens’ welfare if elected president.

He said Nigeria’s inability to achieve national unity had weakened its capacity to confront insecurity.

“Our commitment is to unite Nigeria. Nigeria today is not united. If we unite Nigeria today, we will have the strength to fight insecurity,” he said.

On kidnapping and attacks on schoolchildren, the former Anambra State governor vowed that his administration would pursue perpetrators into their hideouts.

“Anybody that kidnaps schoolchildren and goes into the bush, we will be in that bush with him, wherever it is. We are not scared of him,” he said.

Obi also promised to confront corruption, insisting that public funds must be deployed for the benefit of citizens rather than personal enrichment.

“We will fight corruption head-on. We want people to stop stealing public money. Public money must be used for public good and for the welfare of the people,” he said.

He further pledged increased investment in education and healthcare, describing the sectors as critical to national development.

The NDC candidate said his political partnership represented a different approach to governance, anchored on shared responsibility and national transformation.

“We represent a new Nigeria that is possible. We represent a governance that people have not seen in Nigeria before,” he said.

Obi explained that the town hall meeting was organised to give residents an opportunity to ask questions, express concerns and freely comment on issues affecting them.

“The style is to listen to you. You are free to ask any question. No restriction. Make any comment. That is why we are here,” he said.