BREAKING: Police arrest suspect behind attack on Peter Obi convoy

The Cross River State Police Command in Nigeria has apprehended a 27-year-old man named Victor Edet Yellow Duke in connection with an attack on the convoy of Peter Obi, the presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), in Calabar. The incident took place on Wednesday, November 4, 2026, near Watt Market Roundabout, along the Calabar Road axis in the state capital, as Obi's convoy returned from the Obong of Calabar's palace to the Metropolitan Hotel, where the party's presidential town hall meeting was held.

According to a statement issued by the Police Public Relations Officer, ASP Eitokpah Sunday Akata, the attack occurred around 2:20 p.m. when armed suspected hoodlums, wielding machetes and sticks, emerged from the Calabar Road and Clerks Alley area and targeted vehicles in the convoy. The attackers damaged some windshields, but the total number of affected vehicles is still under investigation.

Security forces swiftly intervened in the situation, leading to the arrest of one suspect, Victor Edet Yellow Duke, while the others fled the scene. The suspect has since been transferred to the State Police Headquarters for further investigation by the Violent Crime Response Unit (VCRU) to prevent potential reprisals or further lawlessness.

The Command has emphasized that normalcy has been restored to the affected area, and Commissioner of Police, Cross River State Command, CP Ajo Geoffrey Ordue, has directed a thorough investigation into the incident. The police are actively seeking to identify and apprehend other individuals involved in the attack and have cautioned against making conclusions based on the arrest, stating that the individual remains innocent until proven guilty through judicial proceedings.

The police have also reassured residents, political stakeholders, and visitors that adequate security measures are in place across the state, ensuring equal protection for all political parties, candidates, and their supporters, regardless of their affiliations.