Many are shocked in Cross River state as highly placed politicians have been reported to have stepped up lobby to effect the release of arrested notorious gangster and alleged kidnapper from police custody.

CrossRiverWatch reports that top politicians in the state have been on rounds of frantic efforts trying to lobby the State Command of the Nigeria Police Force to free the suspect who was identified as one Cyril Bassey.

He was earlier declared wanted by the state government for his involvement in cult activities which resulted in the killings of some rival cultists in Calabar, investigation have revealed.

The politicians are bent on releasing him from the police cell so that he can go back and be sworn-in as the Councillor representing Ward 6 in Calabar South, having won the election while he was on self exile and running away from the eyes of the security agents.

Before now, all those that were declared wanted by the state government had earlier been charged with murder cases, but investigations revealed that the politicians are trying to lobby the police to change the case file of Cyril Bassey from murder to “suspected cultist”, so that he can be charged to court and thereafter get bail.

A source from the police, who pleaded anonymity, said the Anti Kidnapping and Cultism Unit are focused and straight forward on prosecuting Cyril Bassey, hence their firm resolve to ensure that the law takes it course with a view to serve as a deterrence to other cultists.

The source revealed that the politicians are now trying to lobby for the release of Cyril Bassey through the state Command.

The police officer said. “As we speak, some politicians in the state, especially from Calabar South are running helter skelter, trying to change the case file of Cyril Bassey from murder to suspected cultist so that he can be charged to court and granted bail.

“But, the Commander of Anti Kidnapping and Cultism Unit has turned down their plea and pressure. He wants the right thing to be done in the face of justice.

“My brother, if this guy is released back to the society, he will surely go back and get involved in cult activities again. How can we arrest a deadly cultists like Cyril Bassey and some politicians want him released from police custody?

“If they succeed in releasing him, then our efforts in chasing those who are causing problems in the society would have been scuttled.

“We want Cyril Bassey to face murder trial so that he can serve jail term, only then can we be satisfied and our morale boasted to keep fighting all forms of criminality in the state.

“We want members of the society, the Press, Civil Society Organisations and concerned individuals to put pressure on this matter because this Cyril Bassey of a guy has given us so much headache with his cult activities”, the source told CrossRiverWatch.