The Civil Liberties Organisation (CLO), Akwa Ibom state chapter has called on the state commands of the Department of State Services (DSS), the Nigeria Police and other relevant security agencies to be on alert of an impending protest by some persons around the Akwa Ibom state university, Ikot Akpaden, Mkpat-Enin to disrupt the activities in both the institution and the people.
The chairman of CLO, Otuekong Franklyn Isong, in a press briefing held in his office along Aka road, Uyo, the state capital on Tuesday noted that the outcome of previous protests in the institution which were usually hijacked by hoodlums have been counter-productive as both the access road and highway are always blocked thereby rendering vehicular movement impossible.
Isong who said he is from the host community of the institution said his people are the worst hit each time the protest occured urged those plotting the protest to channel their grievances to the appropriate authorities and not to block the school gate or the east west road.
He noted that there is nothing wrong in carrying out a peaceful protest and expressing grievances in subtle manner but condemned the idea of road blockade where travellers from neighboring States are usually trapped which have become the norm in the previous protests.
According to him, “we have received several reports that some people are hatching a plot to block the gate of Akwa Ibom State University.
From the previous protests in the institution, we have discovered that it was always hijacked by hoodlums bringing my community to a bad light.
“Each time there was a protest, they always block the gate of the institution, which is the only access road that leads to another local government (Eastern Obollo). Also they always block the east west road, which automatically renders travelers stranded.
We have never supported any protest that will encourage blockage of road and disrupt the academic and economic activities thereby imposing hardship on our people.
“We appeal to the staff,students or those hatching the plot to channel their grievances to the management of the institution. Always blocking the east west road and the school gate is not the best because it’s always hijacked by miscreants to cause havoc. We also want the DSS, Police and other security agencies to be on alert to forestall breakdown of law and hardship on the people.”
