Security agents comprising Military personnel, Police and Customs have arrested six suspected criminals in Calabar, Cross River State capital.
The suspected armed robbers attacked the premises of the Cross River State Command of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) to cart away some valuables.
Armed with guns, machetes and other dangerous weapons, the robbers were said to have scaled the fence of the NCS located within the Calabar Free Trade Zone to steal some items.
An eyewitness report said they could not gain access into the warehouse, but they vandalized some items, like vehicles, and made away with some bags of rice within the premises loaded in a vehicle to be taken to the IDPs in the country.
Since the distribution of the materials in the past two weeks, groups like the Bakassi IDPs have complained of neglect of the state in the distribution by Customs and have even threatened to sack Customs from their border areas if they are not attended to.
The Public Relations Officer of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) Mr. Eneje Ugochukwu, said the relief materials were for IDPs in Benue, Nasarawa and Taraba States, and the distribution was carried out by the presidential committee in a transparent process.
He confirmed the robbery incident saying that men of the Command repelled the invaders with minimal force until the situation was contained with the swift response and assistance of the Nigerian Army and Police but no life was lost though some persons sustained injuries.
Ugochukwu confirmed that six persons had been arrested and the police was investigating the matter as six persons have been arrested.
“We thank God that calmness has been restored, reinforcement came in and at this time I want to appreciate the Nigerian Army and the Nigerian Police, for their very swift response,” he stated.
