Effefiong Ita, the chairman of Calabar Municipality Local Government Area in Cross River State, locked out the entire Traditional Rulers Council of the area from holding a stakeholder meeting with the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, governorship candidate, Sen Sandy Onor.
The locked monarch’s secretariat is located within the premises of the council.
The Paramount ruler of the Municipality, HRM (Ntoe) Ita Etta, told journalists on Wednesday, January 25, 2023, in front of the secretariat that no cogent reason was given for locking them out.
The Ndidem of the Qua’s and Paramount Ruler of Calabar Municipality explained that the clan heads of the council area were to have a meeting with the governorship candidate of PDP, when they discovered that their secretariat was locked.
His words: “We had received a notice from the PDP governorship candidate that he will meet with us (traditional rulers) by 2pm in our secretariat, which is usually where we hold all our functions and activities.
“As you can see, the secretariat is locked up and the Chairman didn’t tell us why he did what he did, and you can see soldiers everywhere also.”
Calls to the Chairman’s phone went unanswered.
Meanwhile, an authority in the council, who pleaded anonymity, said the chairman of the council gave an instruction this morning that the traditional rulers’ secretariat should be locked up.
“He also gave a directive that no meeting of any kind should take place in the secretariat. I am only working based on directive,” he stated.
“There is no issue here, the traditional rulers met here this month of January and we were also surprised when the directives was given,” the source said.
When Vanguard visited the secretariat, a truckload of soldiers (Op Akpakwu) was stationed in the premises.
3 Suspected IPOB Members Arrested In Cross River
The Police Command in Cross River says it has arrested three suspected members of the Proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB.
Sule Balarabe, the state Police Commissioner, disclosed this during a parade of the suspects, who were arrested by the command between August and November.
The Commissioner gave the names of the suspected IPOB members as Richard Ukehad, 29; Esther Asado, 29 and Chief Isaac Ebebe, 44.
He said that the suspects were arrested at their camp in Bebe III community in Obanliku Local Government Area of the state following an intelligence report.
“On the strength of the information, the military, in collaboration with Anti-Cultism/kidnapping squad, swung into action and the three were arrested,” he stated.
The commissioner said that two dane guns, one Biafra uniform, one Biafra flag, one axe, knife, four explosive devices, two suspected explosive chemical, charms, a Police beret, and live cartridge were recovered at their camp.
Balarabe said that the suspects would be charged to court once investigation is completed on the matter.
The commissioner further said that two persons were arrested for unlawful possession of firearm while one was also arrested for armed robbery and kidnapping within the same period.
He disclosed that two AK47 riffles and 200 rounds of AK47 lives ammunition belonging to the kidnappers were recovered by the command.
While promising to rid the state of crime and criminality during and after the yuletide, the Commissioner warned politicians against violence and any unlawful act that will compromise peace in Cross River.
According to him, “The command, therefore, warns all political parties, their candidates and supporters, to play by the rule and abide by all the laws guiding election process in the country as infractions would not be tolerated.”
