By Ogar Monday
The Police Division in Okpoma, Yala Local Government Area of Cross River State, has stopped a Protest by youths in Okpoma who were out to register their displeasure with the state of the road in their communities.
The youths who had gathered to march against the state of the road said it had led to the loss of lives and made life unbearable for some of the residents of the community.
The youths had gathered at the Christ the King Primary School in Olachor and were peacefully matching to Itega-Okpame, when the Divisional Police Officer (DPO) of Okpoma Division, Paulinus Njah, crossed and warned them to desist from the march, as he has gotten signals from Calabar that described their protest as one against the state government.
The DPO who conceded that he had been informed about the rally, said he has no permission to grant such and had directed the organizers to meet with the area command.
“Yesterday, a signal was sent from Calabar (of) a purported protest by the youths of Yala. It was also sent to the area command.
“As I speak to you, this peaceful rally or peaceful sensitization, in Calabar, is termed a protest against the state government” saying that the police did not approve the rally and so it cannot hold.
Njah added that he is suffering from the bad road himself, but he had orders not to ensure that the protest holds unless with express permission from the police.
Speaking earlier, Boniface Ekpo, one of the protesters said they were on the road to show their displeasure at the state of the road and to draw the Cross River State government’s attention to the suffering of the people of Okpoma.
Ekpo added that the elections are close and with it will come a new governor who might not be interested in the road, which is why they want Governor Ben Ayade to complete it.
The protesters carried placards with the inscription “Yala deserves a good road”, “action speaks louder than words”, “work should resume on Okpoma road”, amongst others.
