Photo: Immigration Officers Brutalise Lecturer, Remove Four Of His Teeth

Mr. Okon Effiong Ekpenyong, a lecturer in the Department of Business Management, University of Calabar, lost 4 of his teeth after he was allegedly brutalised by some Nigerian immigration officials of Cross River State command, for traffic offence.

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UNICAL lecturer Mr. Okon Effiong Ekpenyong

Recounting the incident which happened at about 5pm on May 6, 2014, Mr Effiong said his car had developed a minor fault on Bassey Oqua Street in Calabar, near the NIS headquarters. He called some people to help him push it off the road after which he went home to get his two sons to buy fuel in jerrycan for the car as he suspected the fault might be due to petrol.

He was leaving the area after he had fixed the car when he was intercepted by some officials who accused him of making a U-turn at at an unauthorised point and also being a Boko Haram member.

“Immediately, about 10 other officials joined them, they forced me out of the car and started hitting me with gun butts and other weapons. I passed out in the process,” adding that he was able to identify four persons, a deputy comptroller, a chief superintendent and a male and female junior officials before he passed out.

Mr Effiong said he regained consciousness in a cell and he was later released by a senior NIS official, who identified himself as the provost and pleaded with him to take care of himself in a hospital.

From the station he proceeded to the Airport Police Division in Calabar to report the incident from where he was taken to the Police Clinic for medical attention.

Effiong explained that he lost four teeth and over N50, 000 which was in his pocket, after the incident which took place in the presence of his two sons.

Confirming the incident, the state Police Public Relations Officer, Mr. Hogan Bassey said investigations were ongoing.

It was however gathered from the police headquarters that the immigration officials had so far refused to honour police invitation on the matter.