By Rita Akem
The Speaker of the Cross River State House of Assembly, CRSHA, Hon. Larry Odey last night escaped the bullets of assailants who raided his Calabar house in what his associates say is not yet clear whether it was a robbery or a politically related incident.
Hon. Larry Odey who was at home when the assailants invaded his home was said to have narrowly escaped the assailants bullets which hit his bullet proof door where he was. But his police orderly who attempted to intercept the assailants was not that lucky as he was shot in the hand and is currently receiving treatment in an undisclosed hospital.
A top security source who disclosed the information to CrossRiverWatch under anonymity said: “The hoodlums were actually very daring. They scaled the fence and actually shot at where the Speaker was but his door of course is bullet proof and the pellets hit the door and that saved the situation. The Speaker’s police escort who intercepted them was shot in the hand and he is presently receiving treatment in the hospital.”
Several calls to the Speaker’s telephone were not taken but a close political ally of the Speaker who also did not want to be named told CrossRiverWatch that “It is too early to just reduce the whole incident to robbery. We have to allow a full scale investigation to be conducted by relevant security agencies before we can conclusively say whether it was an attempted robbery or a politically motivated incident.”
It will be recalled that the men of the underworld have in the past five months been operating without let or hinder in Calabar metropolis robbing and raiding homes as well as offices without any intervention from the police.
Attempts to speak to the State Police spokesman, Hogan Bassey were not successful as at the time of filing this report.