By Patrick Obia
Cross River Governor, Benedict Ayade has directed the immediate suspension of the transportation of all categories of scraps outside the State.
This is to prevent the “desperate bid to escape” by hoodlums who looted public and private properties last weekend, a statement by his spokesman, Mr. Christian Ita said.
The State claimed the looters have “resorted to moving such items out of the state disguised as scraps,” and therefore placed an, “immediate ban on the transportation of scraps of all categories out of the state.”
Transporters and motorists in the State are to “report anyone that approaches them to move scraps out of the State to security agents,” with a warning that any of them “caught transporting looted items will be regarded as an accomplice and treated as a looter,” the State said.
Meanwhile, a team of combined security outfits on Tuesday carried out a show of force to announce heavy security presence in Calabar.
Personnel of the Nigerian Army, Nigerian Police, Nigerian Navy and Nigerian Security and Civil Defense Corp participated in the show of force which saw a convoy of around 30 cars driving round the roads of Calabar Municipal and Calabar South Local Government Areas.
It will be recalled that Governor Ayade had in a live broadcast last weekend expressed shock over the massive looting by hoodlums whom he said “are not Cross Riverians,” and warned that it was not going to be business as usual.
“I am only a Governor’, I am not the final authority when it comes to Army and the Police. The Inspector General of Police has made it clear, enough is enough; so because enough is enough, the Governor has done his best and at this point the Federal Government has taken over and now it is in total charge of the Federal government; anybody who comes out, the Governor and the State government is not to blame.
“The Inspector General of Police through the Commissioner of Police has made it clear that they will conduct a door to door search for all properties that have been stolen, if any property is found in your possession in any house you will go in for it.”
However, a statement issued by his spokesman last weekend had said he ordered a house to house search.
”Following the deployment of more soldiers to Calabar to help quell violence, Cross River Governor, Sir Ben Ayade has asked security agencies in the State to take legitimate actions to halt the arson and carnage witnessed in some parts of Calabar,” read the statement issued on Sunday morning.
”The Governor also wants the security agents to carry out a house to house search for looted property and arrest everyone involved in the looting of both public and private property in the State,” the statement added.