Armed militias have taken control of two local government areas in Cross River State particularly those close to the Bakassi boarder.
The state governor, Professor Ben Ayade, has appealed to President Muhammadu Buhari to extend the activities of “Operation Delta Safe”, a security taskforce protecting oil installations in the Niger Delta, to Cross River State.
Ayade said his state cannot keep the whole Niger Delta safe without help from its neighbours but for the meantime promised to increase the firepower of the state’s security taskforce, “Operation Skolombo” to assist in promoting the piece.
Militancy overtook Cross River State for the past few months giving rise to kidnapping, armed robbery, and other criminal activities, especially, in Calabar.
Speaking on Bakassi and Akpabuyo local government areas, which share boundary with Cameroon,have become a lawless zone in which militants rule. It was discovered that the militants collected rents and tax from people doing business in the council areas, which they termed “protection money” which has drastically reduced commercial activities in the area.
The militants how now handle matters that should otherwise be handled by the conventional courts, village heads, clan chiefs, and paramount rulers.
A source said the situation is completely out of hand so much that people are actually running to Cameroon now for help.
First of all, the local government chairmen no longer go to office, and they have not gone to office over the past one and a half years. They have written, complained and begged but no glimpse of help.
