A loud explosion suspected to be bomb blast has hit the Peoples Democratic Party secretariat in Calabar, Cross River State.
The incident, which happened at the PDP secretariat along the Murtala Mohammed Highway at about 5.30am on Monday, also affected several buildings within the vicinity.
Our correspondent, who visited the scene at about 6.30am, observed the high presence of heavily armed policemen and soldiers who barred taking of pictures.
Although no group has claimed responsibility, it should be noted that the secretariat had been under lock following controversies that trailed the November 1 wards delegate election.
However, one of the residents of the area, Joel Ogunlana, said he felt the effect of the blast in his building which is 300 metres away.
“I heard a loud bang and everywhere started shaking. I thought the house was going to collapse,” he said.
In the compound that shares the same fence with the secretariat from behind, several glass doors and windows were shattered.
Policemen rebuffed attempt to even speak with neighbours at that building as they threatened to unleash terror on our correspondent.
Some of the overzealous security personnel jumped over the fence with their guns and threatened to deal with our correspondent and smash his phone if he did not leave at once.
However, confirming the incident, the state chairman of the party, Mr John Okon, said “I understand they threw in a bomb or dynamite or something. The police are there and the anti-bomb squad are on the way. We would not be able to use the secretariat for the ward congresses. We would be using the Presidential Lodge. All the electoral officers are collecting their materials and going to the field. The windows and other things inside the office were destroyed.”
A statement signed by the Police Public Relations Officer, Hogan Bassey, read, “Early today, 24th November at about 0535 hours, hoodlums who were unable to penetrate the heavily fortified secretariat by officers and men of the Command threw an explosive device from behind the premises into the building. The explosion only shattered some louvers on the ground floor. No life was lost and nobody sustained injury.”
Chief Fire Officer of the Quick Intervention Squad of the Emergency Response Centre, Ugbong Celestine, who arrived the secretariat at about 11am said he was called by his coordinator that there was a blast and fire and they came for rescue operations.
There was heavy presence of heavily armed security agents at the Presidential Lodge. Journalists were not allowed inside. The security agents said they were under strict instructions not to let anyone inside.
Reacting to the developments, Director-General of the Ndoma-Egba campaign organization, Mr Ernest Irek, said, “They are militarizing a simple thing as ward congresses and chasing away party members.”
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