By Jonathan Ugbal
Source in the Cross River State command of the Nigerian Police Force say some people who participated in the looting of public and private properties in Calabar have been arrested.
The source said some items suspected to have been looted from the Calabar Discount Mall which houses ValueMart, a departmental store owned by Mrs. Obioma Imoke, wife of the former Governor, Liyel Imoke among other shops were also recovered.
A video obtained by CrossRiverWatch shows one man arrested by Policemen attached to the Governor’s office in Calabar.
The Police Public Relations Officer in the State, DSP Irene Ugbo was defensive when reached and kept asking, “who told you there have been arrests? Who gave you that information?” until the line went dead.
The source also said Governor Ben Ayade’s Chief Security Officer, Mark Anyogo is also on the streets to aid law enforcement with arrests.
The Governor had ordered a house to house search, since then, some looted items have been popping up in refuse bins and junctions across the Calabar metropolis despite a curfew in place.
Meanwhile, the Commissioner of Police, Mr. Abdulkadir Jimoh has announced that one Johnson Richard Inem, the mastermind behind the looting and vandalisation of the Calabar International Conference Center (CICC) last weekend has been arrested.
Mr. Jimoh also disclosed that items including chillers, over 1000 pieces of customised chairs, customised designer carpets amongst other items were recovered from him.
“Mr. Richard-Inem, who is an automobile mechanic, was arrested at Esuk Otu behind NTA Calabar with various items,” Mr. Jimoh said.
“We arrested the suspect based on actionable intelligence during the house to house search which started on Sunday in the state,” he added.
Meanwhile, this Newspaper has compiled the list of properties among other things looted between Friday and Saturday last weekend.
LIST OF AREAS ATTACKED
1. Cold Stone/Domino’s Pizza at Ndidem Usang- Iso road looted and vandalized
2. Calabar Discount Mall (Housing Valuemart and other shops) at Ndidem Usang-Iso road looted and vandalized
3. Shops at Bedwell street and Watt Market vandalized and looted
4. INEC Calabar Municipal Area at Marian road looted and burnt
5. First Bank PLC 8 miles branch looted and burnt
6. Ministry of works warehouse at Ekorinim looted and burnt down: Carnival Calabar properties like speakers, carpets, microphones, Amplifiers stolen by hoodlums
7. Mbukpa Police Station attacked
8. Atakpa Police Station looted and burnt
9. Access Diamond bank at the Mayne Avenue looted
10. NDDC office at Murtala Muhammed highway looted
11. Ekondo Bank ATM at 8 Miles vandalized
12. Phone shops at Eta Agbor vandalized and looted
13. Unicem trucks hijacked along Atimbo Road by tyrant boys, bags of cements taken
14. Ibedmore Phone World looted
15. H20 Calabar looted
17. Auditor General’s office
18. APC Office at Marian looted
19. Nigerian Chronicle at Barracks road looted and burnt
20. Roll back malaria office barracks road looted and vandalized
21. Sen. Gershom Bassey’s house Asari-Eso layout looted and razed
22. Psychiatric Hospital, Calabar looted and vandalized
23. Government Secondary School Henshaw Town looted
24. Peace Mass Transit Park Eta Agbor looted
25 Spark Shop Calabar attacked
26 Eco Bank Eta Agbor attacked
27. Commercial Transport Regulatory Agency Marian looted and burnt
28. Udec Phone shop looted
29. Hilliard Etta’s Bulavaad restaurants looted and vandalized
30. CROSPIL warehouse at Bishop Moynagh street
31. SEMA Warehouse at Barracks road looted and burnt
32. Pensions office attacked
33. First Bank Mayne Avenue looted and vandalized
34. Cross River garment factory looted
35. Automated Rice seedling and see manufacturing center attacked
36. Cross River noodles factory attacked
37. Dominic Oqua’s residence attacked
38. Senator Victor Ndoma-Egba’s residence looted and cars burnt
39. Nigerian Red Cross office at Watt (low damage)
40. Obong of Calabar residence (Attack failed)
41. Eta – Mbora’s residence attacked
42. Maternity clinic at Akpabuyo attacked
43. Customs office at Akpabuyo attacked
44. WAEC office M/M Highway looted
45. National Identity Management Commission office M/M Highway looted.
46. International Convention centre, Summit hills looted.
47. Sen. Bassey Ewa Henshaw’s residence attacked and looted.
48. NYSC M/M highway attacked.
49. NTA M/M highway attacked.
50. State High Court, Judiciary Headquarters Mary Slessor
51. Lapo Microfinance Bank Watt market attacked.
52. Sen. Gershom Bassey’s family house Mayne Avenue looted and burnt.
53. Brotherhood of the Cross and Star M/M Highway attacked.
54. Professor Eyo-Ita House (Desam House)- Rescued by neighbors.
55. Industrial Training Fund (ITF) M/M Highway attacked
56. Leophina Oil Station M/M Highway
57. Nigerian Labour Congress office at Marian vandalized.
58. Nigerian Union of Teachers office at Marian attacked.
59. World Health Organisation country office at Barracks road attacked.
60. FHI 360 office at Barracks road attacked.
61. Enyo fueling Station at 8 miles walkover attacked and looted.
62. Cement truck hijacked at 8 miles and the bags of cements stolen.
63. UBA ATM at Ikot Ansa vandalized.
64. Some buildings in the University of Calabar attacked.
Editor’s Note: The list is still being updated with micro, small and medium enterprises that suffered a similar fate.