Efio-Ita Nyok|2 July 2016|4:07pm
The security situation in Cross River State has gone messier as hoodlums, suspected to be Bakassi militants invaded Cross River State Governor's Office and held the Deputy Governor Prof. Evara Isu and staff of Governor's Office hostage for over five hours on Friday.
The suspected militants who said they were members of Bakassi Volunteer Force (BVF) stormed the Governor's Office at about 10am in the morning and left the gate shot till the late hours of Friday.
Speaking the leader of the team who introduced himself as "Capon" said that they were out to compel government to release their monthly amnesty stipend which has been denied them for months.
He said that, they decided to stage an open protest for the whole world to know their plight so that when they decide to confront the government violently, nobody will hold them responsible.
According to him, the Bakassi indigenes have been treated like slaves under this administration, noting that they have made several efforts to dialogue with government but it appears the governor has no interest in their plight.
The Capon warned the government not to take their understanding for a right maintaining that, their people are dying hopelessly on daily basis of minor ailments that could have easily been treated.
In his words, "We are here today to demand our little stipend. We are the Bakassi Volunteer Force who have been neglected by government. Our people are dying yet the government is not doing anything".
"We decided to come out here today to let the entire world know what is happening so that tomorrow when we apply violence against the government nobody will blame us.
"Before the Bakassi Peninsula was handed over to Cameron, both the state and the federal government benefitted from the proceeds of oil and other business activities from that place. Why have we become strangers in our own land today?", he quarrelled.
He maintained that "if the federal government has rejected us, we won't allow our own state too to reject us. We will shutdown the Governor's Office if nothing is done in the next few days".
When contacted, Mr Christian Ita, the Chief Press Secretary to Governor Ben Ayade said the group was there to express their plight to government but did not disrupt administrative duty
He added that the state security adviser, Jude Ngaji had addressed the aggrieved group while promising them that he will contact the amnesty office in Abuja.
Efio-Ita Nyok
Is a Blogger & the Editor of Negroidhaven.org (Negroid Haven)
