L-R: Ikem, Esu and Braide
Efio-Ita Nyok|18 October 2016
On 14 October YNaija.com reported the news of the attack on the convoy of the Deputy Governor of Cross River State, Prof. Ivara Ejemot Esu.
The report has it that the incident which would turn out to be most fatal took place along Goldie Street at NNPC Filling Station around 7PM on Thursday where the convoy ran into a group of 20 armed cultists operating in the area.
Incidentally, Prof. Ivara had already been dropped off at his residence; but while the convoy returned dropping off security officers detailed to the convoy of the Deputy Governor she bumped into the marauding hoodlums, a driver was shoot and seriously wounded while a police officer was shot dead on the spot.
This ugly event has caused heads to be wagging and tongues to be rolling. Yesterday, I reflected a cross section of how residents of Calabar and Cross Riverians received the news. Today, I wish to particularly border on the discussion on virtual space that transpired between Barr. Venatius Ikem, the former National Publicity Secretary of the PDP and Pamela Braide, a music artiste following a thread the latter did on her social media wall on 15th October, that's about three days ago. Their comments are insightful:
Pamela Braide
Yesterday cars in the Deputy Governor of Cross River's convoy ran into a cult clash on Goldie street after dropping him off and 2 staff died. The cult clash has finally made big headlines as “personalities” are now affected.
Now we have heard the news our deputy governors convoy was attacked by cultists and there are dead bodies can we tell the truth to ourselves in Cross River State? Since Thursday last week we have had an unabated cult clash with attacks in public spaces in broad daylight. One of several.
Too many active cultists may have invaded Gov space. If they are not organizing coffins and dancing as a welcome banner for the Governor at the airport they are actively blocking the arrest of thier juniors as they butcher each other and innocents for weeks without end on the streets of Calabar. The latest round of violence is still on. It seems impossible to stop a bunch of small boys with machetes and guns. Why?
I am most disappointed in the silence of our socalled state political elite who complain loudly behind closed doors about the abandonment and decay of even basic security process among other issues and remain both silent or inactive for reasons best known to them. They have access to police, dogs and electric fences but now they know they are just as vulnerable as anyone else. What are they afraid of?
Cultists have marched with an unheard of impunity and confidence defying arrests, not even covering faces… It is tiring. Lord save us all.
Every neighbourhood please organise your security and introduce your vigilantes to the police. This is what people are doing.
Are we planning carnival this year? We have lost events this and last year that would have reduced economic hardship and I think the damage done may affect Christmas in Calabar eventually. A state that prepared for economic diversification even when it was not a trend and created an alternative economy that citizens sunk thier savings into has now fallen flat on its face when the most opportunity abounds. What a shame. May the souls of the dearly departed rest in peace.
Venatius Ikem
Pamela Braide , it is numbing to say the least but political elites are frustrated by a State Chief Executive whose very leading and well known appointees are leaders of these cults! Do you really think it is a joke? The cabinet is mostly shared amongst cults! I don't know the proportion. Have you not seen the “men in black”? Body guards of the governor who go everywhere with him? Who are they? Why? Of course for future “political support”, to help hound enemies and patronage for past deeds!
Never mind the ceremonial oaths they swear denouncing cultism. It's all a charade. Did you not read the strange publication of yesterday claiming that I sponsored the casket that was in parade during Ayade's reception for returning from Abuja? I am lucky that all my contemporaries know that I have never in my life, in school and after school, belonged to a cult or “fraternity ” as they are more glamourously referred to. If the security services know what they are doing, they know where to begin looking. They try to but lack the political will to act decisively. Ifere Paul published details of someone with pictures and profile. What is anyone doing about it? My take is that a people deserve the government they get. Cross Riverians will not stand up against govt. They refused to stand up and make a choice of governor against Imoke's imposition. Let. Us all deal with the situation. We are at Ayade's mercy in his Animal Farm.
Pamela Braide
Isn't men in black a code name for DSS?
i didn't see the publication
Venatius Ikem
@ Pamela Braide , of course I won't libel myself by publishing such. You will see it somewhere amongst the Gov's media rats' walls. In CRS “men in black ” has a different meaning. Please ask.
Venatius Ikem
Pamela Braide , press conferences? How many? Haba! Unless you have not been following up. I think APC has tried it's best to live up to its bidding as an opposition party in CRS. The National Vice chairman, South South , Ntufam Hilliard Eta has been most vociferous in his condemnation. The State Chapter of APC has equally been very upstanding in calling the Gov to order over a myriad of issues bothering on maladministration generally and insecurity in particular. Like I said “security personnel ” are not security in name only. They are trained and equipped to do their jobs and I know they have the capacity to. I clearly stated that what they lack is the political will, if you like political support to act. How can they act appropriately if some of such suspected persons are wining and dining with the chief Security officer of the State and sitting in state security council meetings?!
*Both discussants are saying almost one and the same thing: that the ultimate responsibility for the recent spate of insecurity lies on the laps of public office holders not necessarily because it's their official responsibility for which they took an oath but because them seem to be an infiltration of the government by men of the underworld. The brazen effontery of the activities of bandits, hoodlums, armed robbers, and rascals, etc in the name of cultists in the state especially its capital cannot be explained away to be a mere show of strength, coincidence or one of those occurrences.
There may be a tacit or untacit agreement between the powers that be and these 'men in black'. No fewer than six lives have fallen (with three being security officers) and we may still be counting! I am calling on the government to redeem its integrity because Cross Riverians and residents alike are placing the ultimate responsibility of the breakdown of law and order on their feet. If you will not act because these complainants are the anticipated electorates of future general elections (since their votes don't really count), I think one should act considering the damning judgment of posterity —let cultists, cultism, fraternities and confraternities be purged from public offices for #This_is_not_Cross_River
Efio-Ita Nyok
Is the Publisher & Editor of NegroidHaven.org