Vitalis Ugoh, Calabar: Just as the state governor Senator Ben Ayade was busy vowing to flush armed robbers and kidnappers out of the state, armed robbers were busy today afternoon(8/7/2016)
carrying out their operation along Mayne Avenue and Marian Road branches of First Bank respectively.
An eyewitness account said the robbers in their numbers took siege of the two commercial banks for more than 30 minutes during the operation.
A customer alleged to be a female was shot while another got her car snatched off.
Also the dire devil robbers succeeded in robbing several other fast food such as Fista fries, Chicken Republic and Chinese Restaurant which is close to the State Housing Police Station.
Other shops robbed include, All Kiddies which belonged to Frank Ayade’s wife.
Information had it that there was an attempt to rape the Sales girl across the counter.
Meanwhile about four shops along Mayne Avenue and Edgerly Road were invaded by children between 12 and 16 years respectively.
The deltanewsroom.com. Correspondent gathered that security personnel in the state had alleged that the state governor do not take the issue of insecurity seriously.
As the increasing number of kidnapping and rival cult activities continues in Calabar, the state governor, Senator Ben Ayade earlier today declared total war against perpetrators of these dastardly act with a vow to deal with them decisively.
Ayade who stated this in a press conference in Calabar said his administration has provided additional 30 operational vehicles to the “Operation skolombo” in the state.
According to him, the reasons behind these incidences in the past few months could be traced to the withdrawal of the Federal security personnel known as Operation Delta state from Cross River and Akwa Ibom axis.
He therefore called on the Federal government to extend the services of the Operation Delta state to zone.
Ayade said so far 47 persons have arrested and from security report reaching him shows that they were all non indigenes. He regretted that there is an infiltration of non indigenes into the over the years and promised to address it.
The governor promised Cross Riverians as well as other genuine residents that henceforth there will be a 24 hour security operation which will be focused mainly on exit points within the state.
Ayade said any member of his Exco found to be a cultist would be shown the way out.
He announced that his administration has withdrawn certificates of traditional rulers and their chiefs in all the warring communities in the state to serve as a deterrent.
Ayade said that in a matter of days and weeks to come the issue of insecurity in the state would have been addressed.
He appealed to the Federal government to revisit the issue of resettlement of the displaced Bakassi people as well as the return of the 76 oil wells to the State.
Cross River, is known to be a haven for tourism and plans are on-going for this year’s Xmas carnival celebration, adding that ” as the governor of the state I am assuring Nigerians that the state is safe to live and do business.
