Property including those owned by government, National Assembly members and private citizens have been looted, burnt and destroyed in Calabar, the Cross River State capital as the End SARS protest has escalated in the state.
While monitoring the development in the state, DAILY POST observed that the looters suspected to be hoodlums, in their thousands broke into government, private and personal property with ease, looting and vandalising them.
It was gathered that the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) office in Calabar was vandalized, INEC office at Marian was burnt down, State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA) office, Nigerian Chronicle along barracks road burnt down and Calabar Transport Agency (CTRA) office also vandalised.
Also affected were Department of Petroleum Resources, Atakpa Police Station, NDDC office, Valuemat Supermarket, Ministry of Works warehouse, Cross River State Roll back Malaria centre, Bulavaard Joint, and First Bank 8 miles, among many others. These were either burnt down or vandalized.
Our correspondent learnt that the invasion of these properties started on Friday and continue till today (Saturday) despite the curfew imposed by the Cross River State Governor, Prof Ben Ayade.
An eyewitness who simply gave his name as Nicholas said that what began as an invasion of state government owned warehouses has degenerated into a looting game as hoodlums loot freely various establishments, malls, confectionery among others.
He said that the protest took a different dimension from arson to attacking houses of prominent politicians in the state, especially National Assembly members as hoodlums wielding axes and guns caused mayhem in the metropolis, (Calabar South and Calabar Municipal local government areas).
“The popular establishment including Nigeria Labour Congress Secretariat, INEC, Calabar Municipality LG council offices, Calabar South local government area office, CITRA, Coldstone creamery, Domino Pizza, Valuemart mall owned by wife of the former governor, Mrs. Obioma Imoke, IBedmore phones, Cross River garment factory among others were not spared.
Regrettably, some government-owned offices including those of SEMA, and the Cross River State Newspaper Corporation were also set ablaze. “Looting which started yesterday became intensified as hoodlums succeeded in ransacking some buildings inside the Ayade industrial park including the garment factory.
It was also learnt that the houses of the Senator representing Southern Senatorial District in Cross River and House of Reps members were reportedly torched at Mayne Avenue and Atimbo respectively.
