Gov Emmanuel summons emergency exco meeting over lingering crises in Akwa-Ibom

Apparently disturbed by the worsening security situation and crises in Akwa-Ibom State, Governor Udom Emmanuel has summoned emergency Executive Council (exco) meeting at the Government House on Thursday.

The meeting ongoing at the state Executive Council Chambers at the time of filing this report has governor Emmanuel presiding with the Secretary to the State Government (SSG), Dr. Emmanuel Ekeuwem, commissioners and special advisers in attendance.

The meeting, it was gathered, followed the total breakdown of law and other for the most part of Wednesday as Hausa\Fulani livestock association clashed with indigenous Akwa-Ibom group within the central abattoir at Itam, on the outskirt of Uyo, the state capital.

Although the governor had donated six Sienna minivans to assist in security logistical problem of the police, it was learnt from a senior aide to Governor Emmanuel, that “the emergency meeting became necessary for the governor to issue an executive order on how to best tackle the growing security challenges facing the state after the #EndSARS protests.”

The Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Odiko Macdon, a Police Superintendent (SP), said the crisis at the abattoir was caused by two rival factions at the abattoir, which snowballed into full-scale confrontations as hoodlums cashed in to perpetrate security infractions in parts of the state.

“The conflict at the abattoir was caused by a disagreement between boys loyal to one Louis Joseph and one Abba Mohammed over the sharing of money. It snowballed into chaos resulting in an injury to one Kingsley John, destruction of a Toyota Camry car, burning of a tricycle and motorcycle,” he explained.

According to him, one of the ring leaders, Louis Joseph has been arrested along with several other suspects, adding that those injured had been evacuated to hospitals for treatment, even as he denied that anyone died during the incident.

Speaking in an interview on Thursday, Macdon, who ruled out imposition of curfew in the state in the wake of such security breaches, assured that calm has returned to the troubled state and urged the civil society to go about their normal businesses without fear.

He appealed to the residents to be in the vanguard of restoring total peace to Akwa Ibom through intelligence sharing given the fact that would not be everywhere at the same time, especially the crime-prone areas.

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