Criminals masked as protesters vandalize government and private property in Uyo
The #EndSARS Protests in Akwa Ibom turned violent on Thursday October 22 as hoodlums and criminal gangs masked as protesters vandalized and burnt down government and private property in Uyo, the state capital. Several public and private property were targeted, looted and set on fire. In a televised broadcast message to #EndSARS protesters, the State Governor Udom Emmanuel called for calm and announced a series of placating projects and measures designed to create immediate jobs and apprenticeship opportunity to calm the youth agitation gripping the state.
In his broadcast massage on the situation, Governor Udom Emmanuel extended a Curfew imposed on the city of Uyo from 12 noon on Friday October 23, 2020 to 7:am on Saturday October 24, 2020. The government urged all Uyo residents to stay at home and directed its state security forces to strictly enforce the curfew.
Among the properties targeted and vandalized in Uyo by hoodlums as an outcome of the #EndSARS protest are AKBC the State Broadcasting Corporation along Udo Udoma, AKISIEC office, Udo Udoma, LG showroom, Ikot Ekpene Road, Cold Stone eatery, De Choice mall, Access Bank, Aka Road, Ibom Plaza and Anchor Insurance building, Wellington Bassey Way.
Akwa Ibom State, in common with other states like Lagos state has witnessed a change in the peaceful #EndSARS protests which started two weeks ago in the country into a violent unruly mob protests. The change in the nature of the protest started on Tuesday October 22nd with the unprovoked killings by Nigerian soldiers of #EndSARS protesters at Lagos Lekki Toll gate. After the incident, the protests have turned violent all over the country and it was just a matter of time before the violence arrived at Akwa Ibom state.
A common feature of the current protests are the infiltration of criminal elements disguised as legitimate protesters. The criminals have hijacked the peaceful protests and are primarily responsible for the civil unrest spreading all over the country. In the case of Akwa Ibom State, the authorities discovered that those arrested and involved in the vandalism are outsiders from other states and definitely non-citizens of Akwa Ibom state. Many of the criminal elements simply came into the state to destroy and loot property. State authorities conducting an assessment of the damages inflicted by the vandals found looted properties hurriedly abandoned along the road including such items as steel cabinets, cookers, plasma television monitors, among others. Many apprehended criminals could not speak any native Akwa Ibom language.
Whether the curfew and the broadcast of Governor Udom Emmanuel calling for calm will stop further protest is yet to be seen. One thing is clear, the upheaval by youths in Akwa Ibom in common with their counterparts in other parts of the country demands urgent governmental response and genuine societal change implemented by government actions not empty promises. The protesting and rampaging youths are angry and may continue to seek revenge on symbols of government oppressive authority.
All rights reserved by Tom Okure, Ph.D CEO of Inter-Continental Mgt. Systems, Inc (or ICMS Inc). ICMS, Inc, is a multifaceted business and management consulting firm with its head office in Albany, New York.
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