PATRICK ABANG, Calabar –
Over one hundred and fifty members of Bakassi Strike Force (BSF) in the early hours of Monday blocked the entrance to the governor’s office in protest over unpaid allowances.
It took the intervention of some leaders of the group, who prevailed on their members, that the gate of the Governor’s office should not be pulled down.
According to our reporter, the ex-agitators mostly dressed in black stormed the governors office as early as 8 am, unannounced and blocked the road, refusing vehicles to pass near the area.
The ex-agitators led by one “Timaya” created some scenes despite the presence of policemen stationed at both gates and the road leading to the governor’s office.
Their leader, Timaya, said they were protesting the non-payment of their money which was supposed to have been paid since December 2018 but which has not been paid till date.
” We are not going anywhere until the governor settles us,” the ex-militants chorused ,even as the Permanent Secretary in governor’s office on Special Service ( Security), Alfred Mboto pleaded with them to give the government time to sort out their grievances.
It was gathered that after more than six hours of pleading with the ex-militants, Mboto sourced for N500,000 and gave it to them, but they got angry and insisted they were not going to collect it.
An argument ensued which got Mboto angry and he left the scene, only for some of the militants to hit the gate severally with the Police as bystanders, before some of the ex-militants intervened and pleaded with their more vociferous colleagues to “stay action.”
Meanwhile, Mboto while addressing the protesting ex-agitators assured them that the state governor, Prof. Ben Ayade was working on their case and would call for a meeting with their leaders.
Some them who spoke with newsmen, said the treatment by the state government was unfair.
He said :” After we laid down our arms in December 2018, we went for training and the governor promised that we were going to be given starter packs and be integrated into the system.
“Instead of fulfilling his promise, the governor went and put up a sign-post in Bakassi to say he has paid us. He has since refused to attend to us and we are very angry,” Timaya said.
When contacted, thee Counsel to the ex- agitators , Ozinko Ozinko Esq. described the development as a sad one as government has refused to keep the MoU it signed with them in 2018.
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