ENDSARS: Hoodlums Attack NLC, INEC, SEMA, Other Buildings In Calabar
It was a rain of vandalization and torching of buildings in Calabar, the Cross River State capital on Saturday as suspected hoodlums attacked and vandalized the Nigeria Labour Congress building. Equally vandalised were the State Emergency Management Agency and Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) office in Calabar.
The hoodlums carted away food stuff kept at the Cross River State Emergency Management Agency buildings and also destroyed valuables and unquantifiable equipment worth millions of Naira at the Department of Petroleum Resources, the warehouse in the Ministry of Works, the Commercial Transport Regulatory Agency, Value Mart Supermarket and the state owned Newspaper Corporation, The Chronicle.
The hoodlums that took advantage of the ENDSARS protests, also carted away food stuff, office equipment including generators, air conditioners, computers, chairs, internet facilities among others.
The vandalization took place at night in spite of the 24 hours curfew imposed by the State Government.
Governor Ben Ayade while addressing the state in a on Saturday in a broadcast, said the #EndSARS protest had taken a different dimension in the state, adding that the #ENDSARS protest is a fight that all Nigerians identified with and stand by the moment.
In the words of the Governor; “It offers a great opportunity for us in leadership to recognize the anguish, the pain, the agony and frustration you feel and like I said in my earlier address, I stand with you in this difficult time.
“But great Cross Riverians, if we destroy our own assets as a state with one of the lowest allocations in the country, we will not have the ability to rebuild”.
Ayade while appealing to the protesters, said that he has taken note of the concerns of the youths adding that measures are being put in place to genuinely address them.
He further said; “This is not the time to pass blames. This is not the time to exact vengeance. Every politician must have his political opponents who think differently but at this time, let the fear of God prevail because Nigeria is at a very challenging moment.
“Let us overcome this situation across the country and have reasons to celebrate the ability to survive it. Please, we have learnt our lessons, give us the opportunity to make amends. No human is perfect. Whatever your concerns are, please let the spirit of Cross River take over.
“I plead with you, using the blood of Jesus that please let us forgive each other and come together as a state. Let us be united at this hour and fish out the people who infiltrated our state,” Ayede appealed.
