The Cross River State Police Command has confirmed an attack on the convoy of Peter Obi, presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), in Calabar, with one suspect arrested in connection with the incident.
The attack reportedly occurred on Wednesday, November 4, 2026, when Obi’s convoy was returning from the palace of the Obong of Calabar to Metropolitan Hotel, the venue of the party’s presidential town hall meeting.
In a statement, the police spokesperson, Eitokpah Akata, identified the arrested suspect as 27-year-old Victor Edet Yellow Duke.
According to the police, the incident happened at about 2:20 p.m. around the Watt Market Roundabout, where a group of suspected hoodlums allegedly armed with machetes and sticks emerged from the Calabar Road and Clerks Alley axis and attacked vehicles in the convoy.
The attackers reportedly smashed the windshields of some vehicles, although the exact number of vehicles affected had yet to be determined.
“The Cross River State Police Command has arrested a 27-year-old suspect, identified as Victor Edet Yellow Duke, in connection with the alleged attack on the convoy of the Presidential Candidate of the Nigerian Democratic Congress (NDC), His Excellency, Peter Obi,” the statement read.
The command said police operatives deployed around the area responded swiftly to contain the situation, while the arrested suspect was transferred to the State Police Headquarters by operatives of the Violent Crime Response Unit (VCRU) for further investigation.
It added that the arrest was also aimed at preventing possible reprisals and further breakdown of law and order, noting that normalcy had since returned to the area.
The Commissioner of Police in the state, Ajo Geoffrey Ordue, has reportedly ordered a thorough investigation to identify and arrest other suspects involved in the attack and establish the circumstances surrounding the incident.
The police, however, cautioned that the arrest of the suspect did not establish his guilt, stressing that he remained entitled to the presumption of innocence pending the conclusion of investigations and possible judicial proceedings.
The command also assured residents, political stakeholders and visitors of adequate security, pledging to provide equal protection to all political parties, candidates and their supporters, regardless of political affiliation.
