Insecurity: Uyo no longer at ease
Uyo, the Akwa Ibom State Capital, is fast losing its status as one of most peaceful cities in Nigeria.
The spate of insecurity in the city has reached an alarming state as residents walk the streets with their hearts in their hands.
Armed robbers now operate unhindered as hoodlums and rival cult groups engage one another in deadly struggles for supremacy over operating territories to rob and loot.
Hardly a day passes by without shops, supermarkets and even markets being attacked and vehicles being snatched.
“These government officials are not bothered becauae they move about with security details. The cases of car snatching and daylight robbery are alarming and life-threatening,” one residents lamented.
On Wednesday, 9th December, 2020, Port Harourt Street was robbed before nightfall and Thursday, they resumed from where they stopped.
“They robbed shops from Ikono Street to Port Harcourt Street yesterday around 7pm, and today (Thursday) they started from Port Harcourt Street by Mkpong Street upfront before they were chased away by group of guys,” and eyewitness observed.
The “group of guys” who chased away the robbers at Port Harcourt Street that Thursday had no idea what will befall the whole city that day, a full blown riot and chaos as people scampered for safety and shops closed before 6 pm.
What started as a disagreement between two abattoir operators at Mbak Itam snowballed into riot, arson, looting and alleged killing.
Although a police statement dismissed claim of loss of life in the midst of the conflict, it admitted that the situation was critical and desperate.
“TODAY’S CONFLICT AT ABATTOIR WAS CAUSED BY A DISAGREEMENT BETWEEN BOYS LOYAL TO ONE LOUIS JOSEPH AND ONE ABBA MOHAMED OVER SHARING OF MONEY.
“IT SNOWBALLED INTO CHAOS RESULTING IN THE INJURY OF ONE KINGSLEY JOHN, DESTRUCTION OF A TOYOTA CAMRY WITH REG. NO.UYY115MJ, BURNING OF A TRICYCLE AND A MOTORCYCLE.
“HOWEVER, THE COMMAND HAVE THE SAID SUSPECT, LOUIS JOSEPH IN OUR CUSTODY WHILE THE DUO OF AHMAD MOHAMED USENI ABDULRAMAN WHO WERE INJURED WERE TAKEN TO THE HOSPITAL.
“MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC, PARTICULARLY THE MEDIA SHOULD KNOW THAT NO LIFE WAS LOST AND THAT THE SITUATION WAS QUICKLY MANAGED BY THE POLICE AND IS UNDER CONTROL,” Police Public Relations Officer, SP Odiko Macdon had said.
As the police struggled to arrest the situation at Mbak, rival cult groups were hunting one another in a blindly attempts to retaliate purported killing of their brothers as chaos sweep through Uyo like wildfire.
Many became stranded in the process, trekking long distances to home, thanks to the hwavy presence of security personnel particularly at Ibom Plaza.
At a point, only women were allowed to pass with their two hands on their heads, while men were isolated and searched thoroughly.
Alleged police negligence
The situation came on the heels of constant allegations that security agencies, especially the Police, have not been alert to their responsibilities.
Reports say police have been hiding under the aftermath of the #EnsSARS protest to dodge distress calls in event of robbery attacks.
Several members of the public have complained that each time they put a call to police for, help their response has been: “You wanted to end SARS”.
Where is the CSO?
The spate of insecurity in Akwa Ibom have raised more questions than answers, especially in wake of usual silence in government camp.
Security has remained the greatest achievement of Governor Udom Emmanuel’s administration but the recent developments tend to insinuate that the government is losing grips of the situation.
Among the key questions has been: Where is the Chief Executive Officer of the state?
“Where is the governor and Chief Security Officer of the state in the face of the rampant robberies in Uyo,the state capital?
“Armes robbers are operating unhindered in every part of the town,” Iniobong John, ardent critic of Governor Udom Emmanuel queried.
But he is not alone in calls for the governor yo arrest the situation.
The Civil Liberties Organization, CLO, Akwa Ibom State, Otuekong Franklyn Isong also lent his voice when he demanded a statewide broadcast.
“Governor UdomEmmanuel, the Chief Security Officer of the State, should through a State Broadcast assure the citizens and residents that we are safe.This is not asking for too much!,” Franklyn Isong said.
Already, residents of the state have started calling for a security summit as a matter fo urgent public I’m.
“Can we urgently have an urgent bipartisan security summit to discuss the state of security in Uyo metropolis? We can’t sit & watch our state become another Aleppo? It’s time to face the security situation on ground as it is, not as we hope or wish it to be.
“Government officials are not bothered because they move about with security details. The cases of car snatching and daylight robbery are alarming and life-threatening,” one resident said.
The latest development has resurrected the growing criticism over government security spending.
