Stray bullet hits noodles seller after police allegedly fired shots to disperse protesting women in Cross River

A noodles seller in Igwo community of Cross River has been hospitalized after she was hit by a stray bullet on Tuesday night, April 14, in Cross River state.

The woman was allegedly shot at by men of the Mopol 75 Squad of the Nigerian Police Force, Cross River Command.

The officers were trying to disperse the crowd during a face-off with women of Igwo community in Obudu local government area of the state.

The yet-to-be-identified noodles seller, who was present at the scene of the clash, is reportedly undergoing treatment in a medical facility in the state.

An eye witness told CrossRiverwatch that the police officers fired bullets and tear gas at the protesting women who stripped naked to express their displeasure.

“As at the time I left there around 9:30PM, the shooting continued and the Mopol had also fired tear gas with the women stripping bare,” the eyewitness said.

Ushe Adie, another eyewitness at the scene said the protesting women threw stones into the compound shattering a windowpane and this caused police to begin shooting.

“The women were said to have thrown stones into the compound and shattered a window pane which some are saying really infuriated the Mopol men,” Adie said.

According to reports, the women of the community were protesting a mass arrest by the mobile police which was followed by the alleged killing of a community head.

The women also alleged that the mobile police squad had razed the building of the Igwo clan head due to a land disagreement. 

The disagreements ensued over a purpoted payment of compensations by the state government for plots of land meant for the construction of a cargo airport in the community