Some traders and business moguls in Calabar, Cross River state capital have started relocating their shops, offices and families to Akwa Ibom state due to state of insecurity.
According to Daily Sun investigations, Cross River, especially Calabar, is facing the worst form of security challenges including outright harassment by street urchins, robbery, gangsterism, cultism and kidnapping.
In the last seven months about 20 persons have been kidnapped in Calabar metropolis and millions of naira paid as ransom and in some cases victims lost their lives in the process.
READ ALSO: Femi Falana accuses APC regime of committing same violations of PDP administration
Most of the people abducted include Igbo traders, contractors, medical doctors, transporters, electrical merchants and hotel operators just as shops, warehouses and private residences are robbed at daytime and in the odd hours of the night.
Some group of Igbo traders, ‘Onye Agala Nwaneya’ led by Chief Uzowulu AKachi, have been moving down their shops to Uyo as government can no longer protect their lives and property in Cross River.
The group are scared of the incessant kidnapping of their members by the hoodlums, who end up extorting huge money from the victims as ransom and in the process ruining their business and life time savings.
In an interview with Chief Uzowulu AKachi, the leader of Onye Agala Nwaneya, he said Igbo traders and businessmen have passed through hell in the hands of armed bandits and kidnappers as millions of naira have been wasted paying ransom to different kidnap gangs that operate in the state.
He said: “A week hardly pass without one Igbo man being kidnapped in Cross River state. We are now leaving in a state of fear and uncertainty. Our shops are raided at will; our private residents are invaded at night and valuables as well as cash carted away. We end up losing our life investments and savings.
“So, we had to come up with an alternative and that’s by relocating either to our various states or nearby friendly Akwa Ibom state. I can tell you that it has been very rewarding as at least 30 per cent of our members have moved to Uyo.
“We are negotiating with the state government over there and we are getting favourable responses. Certainly by end of this year, the majority would have relocated with their families. Uyo is our new haven.”
Ifeanyi Uwakwe, one of the officers of the phone dealers association, expressing himslef said: “There is hardly any big mobile phones shops that have not been robbed in Calabar for up two times. At my shop at Mayne Avenue by Goldie I was robbed two times two weeks ago and phones and accessories worth millions of naira carted away by the hoodlums.
Bemoaning that Calabar has lost its peaceful nature-statue, he called on the state government to beef up security around business axis an d protect shops to restore confidence among investors, who are gradually finding new solace in Uyo in Akwa Ibom.
Expressing dismay at the incessant kidnap and robbery attack on Ndi Igbo in the state, the President of Igbo Community Calabar, ICC, Prof Emeka Okwueze, said: “It is very unfortunate that we are the victims all the time even when we go about doing our businesses and contributing to the economic growth of the state.
“I do know that the state government has invested in security through Homeland Security outfit and others. May it is not enough so there is urgent need to beef up considering the fact that the primary responsibility of every government is to protect lives and property.”
PAY ATTENTION: Install our latest app for Android, read best news on Nigeria’s #1 news app
NAIJ.com previously reported that Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association gave reasons why herdsmen attacked mourners in Plateau state, killing over 120 people and causing serious injuries to hundreds others.
The chairman, north central zone of Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria (MACBAN), Danladi Ciroma, who condemned the attacks however claimed the people were kiilled in retaliation to the killings of about 300 cows belonging to the herdsmen.
In a report by The Nation, “These attacks are retaliatory. As much as I don’t support the killing of human being, the truth must be told that those who carried out the attacks must be on revenge mission.
National Day of Mourning for Victims of Violent Killings Across Nigeria | NAIJ.com TV:
Source: Naija.ng