Hoodlums on Saturday invaded Senator Victor Ndoma Egba’s house, located at the Asari Eso layout in Calabar, Cross River state capital, looted property, then set ablaze some part of his residence despite efforts by security agents to stop the carnage.
They carted away household items like flat screen TV sets, chairs, car battery, matrasses and many other items before setting the costly edifice ablaze.
The thugs had earlier burnt down houses belonging to other sitting National Assembly members from the state – Sen Gershom Bassey and Hon Essien Ayi.
Other places which were, late Saturday afternoon, either vandalised, looted or outrightly burnt down included the multimillion naira Calabar International Conference Centre (CICC), Tinapa Lakeside hotel and stores, Infectious Disease Hospital, NYSC state secretariat, UniCal Hotel, private business concerns and many others.
In a statewide broadcast, Governor Ben Ayade appealed for calm.
Ayade asked for a second chance to make amend on areas it might not have done well, adding that the federal government was equally committed to the demands of the #EndSARS protesters.
He charged Cross River people and indeed all residents to rise and defend the state saying, “This is not the spirit of Cross River people. We don’t have any other state to call our own so I charge you all to defend Cross River state, let us come together to bring an end to this carnage.”
Gunshots were still being heard booming intermittently across the city as at the time of filling this report.
