Despite the curfew declared by Governot Ben Ayade late Friday, young men – wielding guns, axes, matchets on Saturday, unleashed an indescribable reign of terror on residents of Calabar, the Cross River state capital.
The operation started on Friday evening when hoodlums ransacked and vandalised First Bank as well as government warehouses, and carted away COVID-19 palliatives, then burnt down part of the building housing Chronicle newspaper.
On Saturday, the mob which seemed to have overwhelmed the law enforcement agencies, had a field day burning down public buildings including the Atakpa and Tinapa Road police stations, INEC office and Ministry of Works warehouse.
They equally attacked, vandalised and looted machines and equipment in the Cross River garment factory, the NDDC office, the newly-built NLC secretariat, CTRA office amongst others.
The uncontrollable young men then went after property belonging to some politicians in the state and in the process burnt down Senator Gershom Bassey’s family house at Mayne Avenue and his personal property at Asari Eso
They also razed down a bulavard joint allegedly belonging to Ntufam Hilliard Eta, and were on the verge of ransacking Senator Victor Ndoma Egba’s house when stern-looking military came to the rescue.
They however, succeeded in destroying a filling which is alleged to be owned by Governor Ayade.
Private property of ordinary citizens were not also spared while the popular Watt market did not open for business even as many shops in the metropolis and the environs were equally shut as at press time.
