One Dead, Two Injured In Renewed Calabar Gangsta Wars

By Ushang Ewa

A student of the Cross River University of Technology simply identified as Sunday was on Saturday shot dead by suspected gangstas in a renewed rivalry.

This followed the arrest of three students suspected to be members of a gang, the Supreme Vikings Confraternity (Baggers) on Friday afternoon after a brief gun battle with a combined team of Police officers and the Nigeria Security and Civil Defense Corps (NSCDC) in the Varsity’s campus.

The Baggers are said to have attacked a member of another gang, the Black Axe Confraternity (Aye) in school and shot at him but the bullets allegedly did not penetrate due to charms he had on him.

This led to the chase with NSCDC and police officers shooting twice in the air while the fleeing baggers shot back about three times with some apprehended.

CrossRiverWatch gathered that the student who escaped death later went to the Police and claimed he was been forced to become a gangsta.

This angered the baggers who embarked on a looting spree on Friday evening snatching phones and other valuables.

The supremacy battle continued Saturday which led to the death of Sunday not far from the school premises while another Black axe member residing along Church road which has a route into the campus was shot in his hand.

He was said to be walking with his son and daughter when the shot was fired at his head but he somehow managed to get his hand in the way.

Meanwhile there has been increased security presence in the school with plain clothes and uniformed security personnel patroling black spots.

Students who spoke to this reporter on condition of anonymity claimed that there have been robberies and break ins in the hostels in recent weeks with the management asking all students to vacate the campus by December 21, 2017.

Examinations are ongoing for the semester and the Vice Chancellor is reported to have said that final year students should write last in a bid to avoid security challenges.

However, this claim could not be independently verified as at press time.