The PDP led federal government has thrown its weight behind Gov Akpabio over the political crisis that has engulfed Akwa Ibom State. Today, it mandated security agencies in the state to shoot at sight persons intending to take advantage of the political tension to foment trouble.

Governor Godswill Akpabio, who has lost grip of the security situation, state announced the directive in Uyo as a measure to check continuing destruction of lives and property of people owing to the PDP/ACN clash which left scores of people dead as well as massive destruction of property in Uyo and Ikot Ekpene.

Our checks in Uyo on Wednesday showed that more than 40 people are feared dead. Property worth millions of Naira has so far been destroyed.
Governor Akpabio has blamed the crisis, which to everyone’s knowledge is traceable to the unaccommodating stance of the PDP government in the state, to opposition politicians. He said that the state cannot be left in the hands of criminals and political thugs, a statement similar to President Jonathan’s characterization of “rascals” in the western part of the country.

The governor said, “The president has called out all security agencies to comb the nook and cranny of the state and we have advised security agency to shot at sight anybody that wishes to promote criminality in the state. We will not condone it.”

He further said, “The federal government of Nigeria and the state government will react to the incidence of yesterday. The perpetrators should be worried. Every single person involved will be brought to book, no matter the political connotation brought to this. This is no longer politics. You cannot go and destroy over 800 cars, 500 keke napep, burn down all sorts of buildings in place and kill people. They went as far as cutting off the private part of PDP members who are now in the hospital, some men lost their private parts yesterday and some were killed outright.

“What is happening now in Akwa Ibom state for me is an organized attack on the people of the state to create a state of fear and a state of insecurity. This is part of the plan. They are also trying to see if they can provoke ethnic rivalry so that it will look as if the various ethnic groups in the state are fighting so that they will call for a state of emergency like what is happening in Jos. But it is a foolishness of the part of the planners because anybody who wants to contest election to rule a people should not kill the same people. Anybody who wants to contest election should know that the primary purpose of government is to protect lives and property and ensure peace,” Akpabio stated.

SaharaReporters recalls that the clash between PDP/ACN sparked off from Ikot Ekpene and snow balled into Uyo when supporters of PDP tried to stop the campaign train of the ACN gubernatorial candidate, John James Akpanudoedehe, from entering into Ikot Ekpene.

The clash between Akpabio’s supporters and Udoedeghe’s followers resulted in the loss of lives and destruction of schools and cars in the state secretariat, and of President Jonathan’s campaign office within the Abak and Ikot Ekpene road axis.

http://www.saharareporters.com/news-page/akwa-ibom-pdpacn-clash-latest-fed-govt-throws-weight-behind-gov-akpabio-gives-%E2%80%9Cshoot-sight

I fear for my beloved naija. So sad.

If it is very OK for our government to always give a 'shoot on sight' order anytime there is a civil unrest, I wonder how they are different from Gaddafi. I think it's time for the coalition force to rain bombs on Aso Rock.

solihu:

I fear for my beloved naija. So sad.

How many times have I said that GEJ will precipitate the destruction of Nigeria? You don't give a clueless and weak opportunist , who is always capitulating to criominals, the most important Job in the land and expect peace to reign everywhere. GEJ did not cause the Jos crisis but , like previous PDP leaders, he is not really ready or able to bring lasting solutions other than asking us to pray for culprits to "come and confess" . Why won't criminals all over the land not be encouraged to forment trouble safe in the knowledge that , under GEJ , no one is ever brought to book?

When GEJ was deliberately ignoring Gbenga Daniels legislative gangsterism in Ogun , that set a very dangerous precedence, I warned then as well that , minimally , politically rogues will be encouraged to 'act up' . Let folks keep touting GEJ as an effective leader . When we don't have a nation anymore , those folks will see clearly the woes caused by their "effective leader".

Akpabio must have really pissed off a lot of people for so many to have joined the ACN. Wasn't he theoretically supposed to be one of those performing governors?

Has those that give this shoot at sight order on their own citizens heard about the International Court of Human Right in the Hague?
Shoot at sight is considered a crime against humanity by intertional human right laws.

I wonder why the only way the government knows to manage civil unrest is to give military/police the authority to shoot at people.

What the fúck! we aren't talking about deers or rabbits here, we are talking about people with names and families.

ekt_bear:

Akpabio must have really pissed off a lot of people for so many to have joined the ACN. Wasn't he theoretically supposed to be one of those performing governors?

The PDP has been successfully robbing the opposition for ages . The opposition has always had the will to fight back but would not go toe-to-toe against OBJ in the past. It is not the same with GEJ. I can see that many are now prepared to fight the PDP to a standstill. It has never been more feasible to do that than now when the current PDP President is weak and constrained from using his power because of the fear to alienate support for his ambition that remains controversial amongst the ruling class - regardless of what anyone says. Jonathan is always over-cautious because he knows he is sitting on a pack of dominos and everything can come tumbling down with one wrong move . Our Politicians , ever the rapacious vultures, have cottoned on to this intrinsic impotence that limits how far GEJ is willing to go. They will take advantage because they feel Jonathan is likely to 'blink' first,

Many don't even respect Jonathan talk less of them fearing his toughness enough to make them shy away from confronting him. I can see things getting bloody under GEJ. His fans who shout about folks "testing the might of the Nigerian armed forces" will see wether , in practice, the Nigerian Armed forces can control chaos if it is happening at the same time all over Nigeria and being encouraged by the mischievous and scheming moneybag politicians in the background.

How can the governor say that someones private part was cut off and he is in hospital? That is a lie, if its true, the person should be in the mortuary.

The police in Akwa Ibom State yesterday confirmed four persons were killed in the political crisis that engulfed the state on Tuesday, with 127 Peugeot 307 saloon cars and 157 KEKE NAPEP tricycles belonging to the Akwa Ibom State Government, parked at the Idongesit Nkanga secretariat, either burnt or damaged. A total of 51 suspects have also been arrested in connection with the mayhem during which 20 other different brands of vehicles belonging to well-meaning Nigerians were burnt. The presidential campaign office of Goodluck/Sambo along Abak road was also torched.

Newly posted police commissioner Felix Osita Uyanna told reporters at the State police headquarters in Ikot Akpan Abia near Uyo, the state capital, that investigations into the “heinous crime” were ongoing, adding that the “modus operandi of the suspects and the nature of the targets suggest a deliberate pattern in the execution”.

Uyanna, who said he assumed office barely two hours before the crisis erupted, added that he was greeted with an unprecedented carnage, wanton destruction of lives and property by disgruntled political elements and their thugs.

He said the suspects used prohibited and dangerous weapons including improvised explosive devices (IEDs) and destroyed everything in sight, especially property belonging to government.

According to the police boss, 12 vehicles were burnt at the Fortune High School while various office equipment including computers, generators and water treatment plant were vandalized.

Sounds like a hired bunch of militants. Even schools and computers were not spared.
The shoot at sight order is correct.

My people this is just the beginning. Note this is happening at the heart of the south south under one of the relatively better performing governors. Come election proper we will see worse.

I again call on well meaning military men and women to prepare to take the helm of affairs when North, South and West become engulfed in chaos. We civilians are starting to rebel against our oppressors now as is naturally expected of any suppressed people.