I was not held hostage – Cross River Dep Gov

The Deputy Governor of Cross River State, Prof. Ivara Esu, yesterday denied reports that he was held hostage in his office on Friday by a group known as the Bakassi Volunteer Force (BVF).

On Friday, a group of about 15 young men blocked the Leopard Road on Diamond Hill where the governor’s office is situated for about three hours.

Daily Trust on Sunday gathered that Governor Ben Ayade has been out of the country for about two weeks.

The deputy governor debunked online publications that the group gained access into the Government House and held him hostage.

He said: “Those reports claiming that the Government House in Calabar was invaded by militants is false.”

A statement issued by Mr. Christian Ita, the Special Assistant on Media and Chief Press Secretary to Governor Ben Ayade, said “the report was not only misleading The Governor of Rivers State, Nyesom Wike, yesterday led security agencies to demolish properties owned by cultists and kidnappers at the Eagle Island area of Port Harcourt.

The governor and the Rivers State Commissioner of Police, Mr. Foluso Adebanjo, supervised the demolition of two cultists’ camps in the area.

One of the camps is located behind the Redeemed Church and the other camp is known as Andoni camp.

Governor Wike said that a police station but a sad demonstration of ethical bankruptcy.

“The report is a regrettable sensationalisation of a peaceful protest by some ex-militants over their three months unpaid allowances by the Federal Government.

“The ex-militants were not armed and so could not have invaded the Government House. Rather, they were very civil in their conduct as they sought audience with the officials of the state government whom they hoped would take their message to will be built at the cultists camp behind the Redeemed Church, while a community hospital will be built at the site of the demolished Andoni camp.

The governor who spoke to journalists shortly after the demolition said that the entire cultists hideouts in the area would be demolished so that law abiding residents can live peacefully.

He noted that the war against cultists and kidnappers will be sustained to ensure that people carry out their lawful businesses without molestation.

The governor called on residents to always Abuja.

Once attended to, they peacefully dispersed,” he said.

One of the leaders of BVF, Ekpenyong Iso Edim said they had not received their monthly allowances for four months, and that they had suffered neglect.

“We came to speak to Governor Ben Ayade so that President Muhammadu Buhari and the Amnesty Office would remember that they are owing us. Our patience is running out”, he said.

Wike leads security agents to destroy cultists hideouts

avail the security agencies the necessary information on the hideouts of criminals for action to be taken against them.

He said: “There will be no hideouts in the state. This war against cultists and kidnappers will be sustained. We are happy with the results we are getting.

“We appeal to residents to continue cooperating with the state government and security agencies by providing the necessary information. All across the state, these joint raids are taking place and the results are encouraging. Rivers State is safe for business and residential purposes.”