By CrossRiverWatch admin
The Attorney General of Cross River State, Barrister Joe Abang has alleged that a social media commentator and critic of the Governor Ayade administration, Ifere Paul is a robber and kidnapper who is now wanted by the Police.
In a recent press briefing which held at the State Ministry of Justice, the Attorney General alleged that, a few minutes after a robbery incident at an eatery along Marian Road two weeks ago, Ifere went on his facebook timeline to announce that more kidnappings and robberies are coming to the state and that shows he is part of the plans by some people to make the state ungovernable.
While brandishing a printed copy and quoting Ifere Paul’s post on his Facebook page about the robbery, Mr. Abang said such is a sign that Ifere is part of the robbers and kidnappers terrorizing the state.
In the said post, Ifere said, “First Bank Nig Plc located on Marian Road has just been confirmed robbed; a lady shot and a customer’s car snatched off (sic) 2. Southern Fries Chicken along the same road just after the Chinese Restaurant on Marian Road has just been robbed too. 3. All Kiddies, belonging to Frank Ayade’s wife was also robbed and gun men threatened raping the counter girl. 4. Shops at Mayne Avenue and Egerly Road were invaded by children between 12 and 21, all these took place one day. More robberies and kidnapping coming your way. That’s the price you pay when you have a Governor flying the world signing MoUs”
Mr Abang said the police and operatives of the Department of State Security Services, DSS, have been detailed to arrest Ifere anywhere they find him to bring him to justice and called on members of the public with information on the man to “Call on me, or the Director of Prosecution in the Ministry of Justice or the State Commissioner of Police to get the man to explain his role in the spate of robberies and kidnappings in our dear state.”
The Attorney General said Calabar and indeed the entire state is a tourism haven and as such the government will not ‘sit by and watch a few gangsters turn the state into a bastion for robberies’.
“The state had enacted a law that prohibits kidnapping or hostage taking and anyone found guilty of such offences faces consequences specified in that law and we are looking for these kidnappers who are trying to paint Cross River State in bad light.
“Cross River State and indeed Calabar, the state capital is a bastion for tourism that everybody in the world wants to visit and this character by the name Ifere Paul and his fellow kidnappers have decided to make it ungovernable and this government will not sit by and watch”.
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When CrossRiverWatch called the Police in Calabar to confirm that they have declared Ifere Paul wanted, the State Police Public Relations Officer, ASP Irene Ugbo said, “I have confirmed, the story is true but he’s not wanted by the police, he’s not wanted by anybody is just that he is against the government of Cross River; he has not committed any offence, is just that he is criticizing the government that’s all.
“The government can declare him wanted but the police have not declared him wanted because he has not committed any crime. He’s not an armed robber and he’s not a murderer, so I don’t see any reason for them to declare him wanted”.