Obi’s Convoy Attack: Lawyer Urges C’River Police to Prioritise Preventive Security
By Missang Akpet
A legal practitioner, T. Oscar Teke, has called on the Cross River State Police Command to prioritise preventive security, strengthen intelligence gathering and improve early threat detection following the reported attack on the convoy of former Labour Party presidential candidate, Mr Peter Obi, in Calabar.
Teke made the call in an open response to the Commissioner of Police, CP Ajo Geoffrey Ordue, published on his verified Facebook account, following the incident at Watt Market Roundabout, Calabar, on November 4, 2026. He urged the Command to review its security deployment strategy ahead of the 2027 general elections.
While acknowledging the Commissioner’s response to the incident and the engagement of the Police Public Relations Officer, the lawyer said he disagreed with the position that there was no security failure.
According to Teke, the incident occurred at about 2:20 p.m., when armed persons carrying machetes and sticks allegedly gained access to Obi’s convoy, damaging vehicles, smashing windscreens and injuring some persons. He said the convoy was forced to divert from its intended route.
He argued that the arrest of a suspect after the incident did not address the failure to prevent the attack, stressing that the primary responsibility of the police was to protect lives and property through proactive security measures.
“An arrest made after the damage had been done does not erase the failure that allowed the damage to occur,” he stated.
Citing Section 4 of the Police Act, 2020, and Section 14(2)(b) of the 1999 Constitution, as amended, Teke maintained that crime prevention and public safety were fundamental responsibilities of the police and government.
“Prevention is the core of policing. Intervention after injury is damage control, not prevention. Arrest after attack is prosecution, not protection,” he said.
The lawyer also cited the reported attack on PDP governorship candidate Arthur Jarvis Archibong, alleging that the incidents involving Archibong and Obi raised concerns about the security of political figures in the state. He further claimed that no APC member, vehicle or property had suffered a similar attack in Cross River State.
He urged the Police Command to examine the circumstances surrounding the incidents through impartial investigations, intelligence-led policing and improved security deployment.
“This is not an attack on the Cross River State Police Command. It is a call for the Command to beef up and strengthen security,” Teke stated.
He warned that unless preventive measures were strengthened ahead of the 2027 general elections, the state could face serious challenges in maintaining public peace during the electoral period.
Teke expressed confidence that the investigation ordered by the Commissioner of Police would be thorough and impartial, urging the Command to ensure that all persons found culpable, including any sponsors identified, were arrested and prosecuted in accordance with the law.
Teke is a Barrister, Solicitor and Notary Public, and a member of the African Bar Association, and International Bar Association.
