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Tag: Uyo

  • Uyo residents bemoan upsurge in crime

    Uyo residents bemoan upsurge in crime

    By Samuel Ogenyi, Uyo

    Residents of Uyo, the Akwa Ibom State capital have decried the re-emergence of criminal activities in the city. 

    This followed the recent constant harrassment of residents in many parts of the town. 

    In Itam area for instance, residents have reported activities of a group of men numbering over 40 who stormed market stalls last weekend and allegedly carted away over 200 bags of rice  and other valuable items belonging to some traders in the market..

    At Udoumanna, the hoodlums, numbering over 20 allegedly struck the Akpanandem market area on Sunday night,  scaring residents with gun shots, while they operate from house to house. 

    Residents of Asutan street, the host area of Correspondents Chapel office  Akwa Ibom State were last Wednesday awoken to a chemist shop emptied overnight by hoodlums who defiled the heavy presence of vigilante group in the area..

    Residents of Effiat Offort, Uyo also had their fair share when a group of young men embarked on a house to house raid in the areas. This team or criminals according to residents of the area, burgled vehicles, removing car batteries and other valuable vehicle parts. 

    At Atan Offort, a security personnel who craved anonymity told journalists that a vigilante member who attempted to resist the hoodlums was killed.

    The securityman attributed the incessant molestation of residents to lack of surveillance on the part of the police and called on the new Commossioner of Police to beef up security patrol in the state, especially at night to checkmate criminal activities. 

    Mr Umoh Etim,  a resident of Udoette street who also reported a tensed security situation in his area  called for restoration of street lights in all parts of the capital city. Such steps, he believes would curtail ongoing nefarious activities in the state..

    When contacted, the Police Public Relations Officer, CSP N-Nudam Frederick said he was not aware of such issues as such complaints were not reported to the police. he however promised to contact the DPOs of the affected areas  to confirm such issues and take steps to ensure protection of lives and property of residents. 

    Meanwhile  the Speaker   Akwa Ibom State House of Assembly, Mr Aniekan Bassey has pledged to partner  the State Command of Nigeria Police Force (NPF) in combating crime and insecurity in the state.

    The Speaker made the pledge when he, alongside the leadership of the House, received CP Amiengheme Inobeme Andrew, the newly appointed Commissioner of Police to the state, and his team at the Assembly Complex, Uyo.

  • Crisis looms as Officials, Management of Uyo Correctional Service trade words

    By Samuel Ogenyi, Uyo

    A dangerous crisis has began to unsettle the Nigerian Correctional Service in Uyo as some officials and management of the facility continue to trade allegations and counter allegations of corrupt practices, some involving inmates.

    This is after a group of officials of the Service recently approached newsmen with series of allegations against the Deputy Controller of the Service in Uyo, DCP Babafemi Jaiyeoba.

    The officials had presented a three page petition but without name and address of the petitioner, with series of allegations ranging from starvation of inmates, due to alleged diversion of food items, extortion, secret burial of late inmates who lost their lives due to hunger and diversion of vocation tools donated.

    But Jaiyeoba when confronted with the allegations attributed it to a recent cell search where bags of Indian hemp, kitchen knives and other dangerous weapons were discovered and later linked to some of the officials who got infuriated into rebelling against the authority of the service.

    The DCP further explained that such officials began instigating ‘the condemns’ against the authority, leading to a decision to relocate such inmates to Port Harcourt.

    Infuriated, that their illicit businesses would be adversely affected by such drastic steps to restore sanity to the Correctional Service centre, one of the officials, according to the DCP decided to register his protest by skipping work for a week.

    On resumption, the DCP said he decided to subject the official to minor disciplinary actions, which he bluntly rebuffed. “On taking further steps to instill discipline, the official openly threatened to ‘rubbish me’, and personally listed the forgoing allegations against my person”. He said

    He said he could never have diverted food and other items meant for inmates to private use, as he has no reason to have stooped so low adding that the federal government has provided all the needs of the center.

    “We have continued to do our best to take care of the people in our custody. We ensure they have regular medical care, we feed them well, even with scombia fish in their meals.

    “Though we have lost six out of 1005 of them within the year, but most of them died in hospitals. Though we have done our best to save as many as possible through prompt medical interventions, but death as you know is inevitable for humans.

    “We know where these allegations are coming from, we can mention their names, but because their cases are still being investigated, we have to allow them, while we continue to do the right thing.” Jaiyeoba explained.

    The DCP disclosed that the State Ministry of Education recently approved a secondary school for the centre with an additional approval for a center for the conduct of West African Examination Council examinations and NECO within the facility with a future plan to enroll successful graduates of the just approved schools to the National Open University Nigeria.

  • Uyo bus drivers protest “illegal” levy, many allegedly arrested

    Uyo bus drivers protest “illegal” levy, many allegedly arrested

    By Some Ogenyi, Uyo

    Economic activities were paralysed in Uyo, the capital of Akwa Ibom, on Tuesday following a peaceful protest by mini-bus drivers over sale of tickets by National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW).

    This is after Governor Udom Emmanuel had outlawed the sale of tickets in a move to cushion the effect of the Coronavirus pandemic on citizens.

    But sources say the state government has reversed it’s decision and has announced that the driver’s pay half of the daily levy they used to pay.

    Many of them were said to have been allegedly arrested by members of the state Police Anti Robbery Squad.

    Major roads such as Ikot Ekpene , Oron, Wellington Bassey Way, Ikpa roads and adjoining streets leading to the plaza were cordoned off to prevent violent escalation of the protest.

    Consequently, pasengers heading to the Ibom Plaza, the town centre,were seen trekking long distances as the drivers have withdrawn their services pending resolution of the problem and release of their members allegedly arrested.

    A driver, one John Akparawa speaking with Planet FM, Uyo reporter said the drivers were protesting the sales of tickets by NURTW and a task force because the state government has already given them them a tax holiday.

    According to him, some policemen accompanied by members of Task Force were seen arresting some protesting drivers while others fled the scene.

    The state Commissioner for Transport, Mr Uno Etim Uno is yet to respond to the protest.

    Akwa Ibom Police Public Relations Officer, CSP Fredrick Nnudam in a telephone interview said the state Poice Command was aware of the protest by some mini-bus drivers, though he could not confirm any arrest of protesting drivers.

    Nnudam however, said, “if they are protesting peacefully, there would be no need to arrest them, but if they were protesting violently to the extent of such affecting public peace, then police have to effect arrest to restore order and sanity in the society.”

    The PPRO further stated that more policemen have been mobilized to the plaza area and other parts of the town to forestall a possible hijack of the protest by hoodlums.

  • Uyo residents lament threat of gully erosion

    Uyo residents lament threat of gully erosion

    By Some Ogenyi, Uyo

    Residents of erosion ravaged areas in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State capital and its environs have raised alarm over the threat posed by gullies that have swallowed more than 10 houses.

    This is even as more than fifty houses in the areas affected have also caved in.

    The areas worst hit by the gullies in the state capital included, Asutan street, Eka street, Ikpa road, Udo Inwang street off Nwaniba in Ewet Community, Afaha Oku Community, Etim Umana and St Luke’s Hospital, Anua.

    Following the impending doom that may be caused by the gully encroachment ,the State government directed residents of the affected areas to relocate from the areas to safer places.

    However residents of the erosion devastated areas in an interview expressed fear over the increasing danger posed by the gullies with the rains becoming severe.

    They further expressed dismay over the State government’s order for them to relocate without making alternative arrangement for such movement.

    A resident of Bassey Eta street who identified himself as Austin Etop said if government ask people to evacuate their residence, their should be a remedial arrangement to ameliorate their sufferings.

    Etop said the ravine in Asutan street had already caved into so many houses in the vicinity expressing fears that if nothing is urgently done this raining season, many people will be rendered homeless.

    He regretted that successive Commissioners of Environment had visited the gully site with promises of fixing the menace but were yet to fulfil their promises.

    “The primary responsibility of government is provision of welfare and protection of lives and properties. We are happy that the State government has constructed these roads you see here but before then we duly notified the contractors and other government representatives of the existing ravine seriously encroaching the houses in which they promised to work on.

    “The roads were commissioned without addressing that problem of erosion gully down there. This ravine has become a serious threat to the residents of the area, it is collapsing day by day. I don’t want to be pessimistic, if situation remains unattended, the July, August, September rains may leave many people here homeless.

    ” I want government to come to the aid of these people and if government asks people to evacuate, at least it should make alternative arrangement for them.”Etop said.

    Another resident, Akpan Akpan told our correspondent that matters were made worse by poorly terminated storm water drainage which channel rains from Wellington Bassey way, and other adjoining streets into the ravine.

    In his reaction, the Commissioner for Environment and petroleum resources, Mr. Ekong Sampson said it was better for the residents to relocate to a safer place while waiting for government’s assistance.

    “They must as a matter of urgency relocate to a safer place first. They must stay alive. The dead does not pay or receive rent. Government is putting measures in place for assistance, and for them to enjoy such assistance they must naturally be alive and in a safe place too.” Ekong added.