BREAKING: Hoodlums Attack NUJ Bus Loaded with Palliatives in Cross River

Hoodlums Attack NUJ Bus Loaded with Palliatives in Cross River

A bus loaded with palliatives and belonging to the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Cross River State Council, was attacked by hoodlums.

The attack occurred while the bus was en route to the NUJ Secretariat after collecting food items from a government warehouse.

The palliatives distribution, organized by the Cross River State Emergency Management Agency (CR-SEMA), was part of an ongoing effort to assist those in need.

Upon receiving information about their allocation from CR-SEMA Director Rev. James Anam, the NUJ members, hurried to the warehouse and loaded the bus with food supplies.

However, about an hour ago, as the vehicle made its way to the Secretariat, it was ambushed by a mob who pelted it with stones. The assailants shattered the bus windows and seized the food items inside.

The bus driver, Joseph Akpaenin, recounted the terrifying experience, stating that the situation turned critical when the bus’s boot flung open, spilling several bags of rice and garri onto the road. The attackers shifted their focus to the fallen items, allowing Akpaenin to escape with the vehicle.

The incident left Akpaenin with a battered shoulder and his phone stolen. Additionally, Tribune reporter Joseph Abasi-Abasi and the Council’s auxiliary staff member Saviour Ekpenyong sustained heavy bruises and minor injuries during the chaos.