26 October 2020
The Speaker of the Cross River State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Eteng Jonah Williams, has empathised with residents of Cross River state both indigenes and non indigenes over the incessant destruction of lives and properties in the state. This is just as he called for calm among them.
Williams in a statement, condemned the acts of violence and criminality perpetrated by hoodlums and sympathized with victims of the ugly incidence.
According to the Speaker, “No sane person is happy with what has happened. We can’t afford to turn on ourselves at this point, We can’t all lose our heads at the same time, we need to stay calm. Some of our brothers and sisters are hurting badly from the situation already. Please!”
Appealing further, the Speaker said: “Let us take back our hitherto peaceful state from hijackers and perpetrators of evil and criminality who do not represent our collective wishes.
“As lawmakers, the issues raised by the #EndSARS protesters are valid and legitimate. We have heard your concerns and we will stay focused on the issue, let us allow measures instituted by the government to address our collective pains to play out”, the Speaker noted.
He also reiterated that the dust to dawn curfew imposed by the Government should be respected by all residents until normalcy returns to the city while calling on parents and guardians to restrain their wards from engaging in any unlawful conduct as well as the
traditional rulers, religious leaders and stakeholders to help in calming frayed nerves.
He most importantly thanked all the service chiefs both at the federal and state level, the director of state security service in the state as well all security personnel who worked assiduously to restore peace and orderliness in the state.
The Speaker maintained that “Cross River state is our common heritage, our home and we deserve to live, work and be at rest in it”.
Finally, the Speaker called on all those who looted properties to follow the path of honour and return them immediately to the nearest police station. He also called on all responsible citizens with useful information to come forward to help government recover the loots.
