…Demand N700m Compensation From Govt
By Nsan Ndoma-Neji, Calabar
A group of entrepreneurs operating in Cross River State under the aegis of Tech and Gadget Traders have taken to the streets of Calabar, protesting the constant attacks by robbery gangs in the last three months.
The protesters called on both the Cross River State government and the state Commissioner of Police, Gyogon Augustine to compensate them with N700 million for losses incurred.
The aggrieved protesters, who matched along the major streets of Calabar with placards, described the robbery incidents as deliberate attack on their businesses and source of livelihood.
Some of the placards bore inscriptions such as ‘Businesses Cannot Function in an Unsafe Environment,’ ‘My Prince, Our Gadget Shops Are Shutting Down,’ and ‘Phones and Gadget Shops Are Shutting Down.’
Another placard reads, ‘There Are no Patrol Teams in the City of Calabar From 12 am to 6 am, so Criminals Have Easy Ride on us.’
The protesters called on the governor of Cross River State, Senator Bassey Otu, and the state Commissioner of Police Grymah to without delay compensate them with the said amount so that they can get their businesses revived.
The aggrieved tech and gadgets dealers averred that about seven shops had so far been attacked in the last three months.
Spokesman for the dealers, Mr Paschal Obi stated that they no longer feel safe.
He said, “These monies largely come from bank loans so government should come to our aid by providing security.”
In his remarks, the Chief Executive Officer, CEO of Gadgets, Mr. George Nwosu, who spoke on behalf of the victims lamented that his shop was burgled twice in 2024, explaining how the matter was reported to the police, but unfortunately nothing was done to recover his property for him.
Another tech and gadgets dealer, Mr. Okoro Benjamin, also cried out and said that two of his shops were burgled on December 10 and 11, 2024 and he lost goods worth over N400 million.
But the Cross River State Police Public Relations Officer, PPRO, SP Irene Ugbo, stated that investigations are ongoing on the robberies incidents to ensure that the perpetrators brought to book.
