The All Progressives Congress (APC) in Cross River has challenged Governor Ben Ayade to do something about the increasing communal and cult related killings in Cross River state.
The primary duty of any Government (Local, State or Federal) is to secure lives and properties of her citizens while providing social amenities that make life worth living.
Therefore, the current wave of bloodletting in the state points to a collapse of this primary
responsibility of government by the Ayade-led administration in Cross River State.
The Security apparatchiks has never been so demoralized in the state, to the extent that the Army Command withdrew her internal surveillance due to months of unpaid allowances as reported in various news media.
Communal crisis, cult-related killings that has left promising young men lifeless on our streets, as well as kidnappings have been on the increase, unabated, since Ayade came to power.
Thirteen out of the Eighteen Local Governments in Cross River State are having communal crisis.
Currently, Erei in Biase LGA, made up of ten communities (Erei North and South) has been raised down by neighbouring communities with a trail of “sorrows, tears and blood”. Her
indigenes who were lucky to escape the killings are now displaced and taking refuge in communities in neighbouring Abia and Ebonyi states.
When President Buhari expressed his worries about the Erei crisis in December, 2018, the Governor promised bringing the crisis to an end, it was only lip service.
The pertinent question to ask is, what does Governor Ayade do with the security votes he receives every month? This question is pertinent arising from reports that the army withdrew due to lack of logistics support even as the State receives N500 million monthly
as security vote.
I call on Governor Ayade to step into the communal crisis in Erei and indeed all other crisis communities with a view to bringing these needless killings to an end.
Governor Ayade should Wade into cult clashes and bring perpetrators to book. We must have a sane society where everyone moves about freely without fear of insecurity.
Gov. Ayade must rise up to the challenge and take concrete action to secure Cross River State and not just to weep for the cameras.
