Standoff: Police stop Sunday service in Unical to prevent bloodshed

The Police in Cross River has intervened in a conflict at the Chapel of Redemption, University of Calabar, quelling a Sunday service standoff to prevent bloodshed.

The conflicted started when the University caretaker committee and an interim chaplain appointed by the Vice-Chancellor attempted to take control of the service being officiated by the Chaplain of the chapel, Rev. Joseph Ushie.

Newsmen report that the development, which occurred on Sunday, resulted in confusion among worshippers, prompting the police to stop the service.

DCP Godwin Etim of the state command told newsmen that he ordered the termination of the service to prevent a possible breakdown of law and order.

“There is palpable tension, and with what I see here, if I allow the service to continue, it will lead to bloodshed in this church,” he said.

Etim said that he spoke with the chaplain, the interim chaplain, and a member of the church’s Board of Trustees and they agreed to suspend the service to avoid breakdown of law.

He added that the groups were invited to the command on Monday for a meeting and urged the parties to remain calm.

Newsmen recall that a subsisting order of the Federal High Court in Port Harcourt had restrained the university’s Vice-Chancellor (VC) Prof. Offiong Offiong, and persons acting through him from interfering with the chapel’s premises and its activities.

The Chaplain of the chapel, Rev. Joseph Ushie, had instituted a suit against the VC, the Registrar of the university, Dr Chukwuka Icha, and three others, through his counsel, Chief Mba Ukweni, SAN.

The applicant, Ushie, sought a Motion Ex Parte praying the court to restrain the defendants from intimidating, threatening, or assaulting him while exercising his rights to worship at the chapel.

After the submissions by his counsel, Justice Phoebe Ayua granted an injunction restraining the respondents, or anyone acting through them, from interfering with the chapel premises and its activities.

The order also directed the parties to maintain the status quo ante bellum, pending the hearing and determination of the substantive application fixed for Aug. 20.