Over 20 suspected Bakassi militants, Friday July 1 invaded the Cross River State Governor’s office in Calabar, apparently to express anger over alleged abandonment of the Bakassi returnees by the government.
The group, according to Premium Times, arrived the state’s seat of power shortly after the Deputy Governor, Ivara Esu, reported for duty.
A source, who pleaded not to be named because she is not authorised to speak on the matter, said the suspected militants invaded the Government House at about 10.00 a.m. and for several hours held Mr. Esu and his staff hostage.
According to the source, the daredevil militants boldly told the people that they belonged to the Bakassi Volunteer Force.
The leader who gave his name as “Capon,” stated that his group were out to compel the government to release their monthly amnesty stipend, which has been withheld for several months.
He noted that the decision to stage the blockade was unanimously taken by the group to draw global attention to the deplorable way the Bakassi indigenes had been treated by the present administration in the state and country.
Capon insisted that Bakassi people, who were displaced when Nigeria handed over their ancestral homes to the Republic of Cameroon, were being treated like slaves by government.
He explained that the group had in the past, made several efforts to dialogue with the government but said the governor showed no interest in dealing with the problem facing them.
“Our people are dying hopelessly on a daily basis due to minor ailments that could have easily been treated. We have made attempts to dialogue with the governor several times but he would not give us audience and that is why we are here to demand our little stipend,” he said.
“We are from the Bakassi Volunteer Force, who have been neglected by government. Our people are dying …Read More
Source:: Nigerian Pilot
