By Emma Una

CALABAR—ONE of the six robbery suspects apprehended two weeks ago for allegedly robbing a micro-finance bank in Calabar, has reportedly escaped from police custody by dramatically jumping into the Calabar River.

The suspect, according to a trader at the Marina where the incident took place, police last Friday, took two of the ring leaders of the gang to their homes at the Bayside to identify the hideout of other suspects, who they allegedly named. That was when one escaped by jumping into the river.

“A team of policemen brought two of them here in handcuffs and four of the policemen went with one of them leaving behind the driver and another policeman to guard the remaining suspect in the van.

“However, not long after others left, the one guarding the robber stepped down from the van and stood looking in the direction the other policemen went. That gave the man the chance to jump down from the van and into the river.”

She told Vanguard that the policeman left behind to watch over the robber, on realising what had happened, shot in the direction of the fleeing robber. He missed his target, but stray bullets hit a man, called Uko, who sells alcoholic drinks at the Marina area.

She said Uko was taken to the Nigerian Navy Hospital, adding that the police had been frequenting the area in the hope of re-arresting the robber.

Ms Irene Ugbo, the Cross River State Police Public Relations Officer, said she was not aware of the incident. “There is nothing like that,” she said.