A'Ibom ex-agitators promise to safeguard public resources and oppose the hunger protest

Youths in Akwa Ibom State have been cautioned by former militants operating under the auspices of the Akwa Ibom Ex-Agitators Forum not to participate in what they refer to as a “faceless protest.”

In order to prevent property and public infrastructure from being plundered and vandalized during the protest, they promised to organize anti-protesters in key locations.

This was said by Forum Chairman Alban Paulinus to reporters on Wednesday night in the state capital of Uyo. He characterized the demonstration as unproductive and a danger to the state’s current peace.

He said, “We are here to tell the world we say no to faceless protests. We at the Akwa Ibom Ex-Agitators Forum are saying that Akwa Ibom State is a very peaceful state, and we will not allow any faceless group to disturb the peaceful atmosphere we are enjoying here.

“If there is any need to protest, we in Akwa Ibom should protest. Why we will not want to protest is because our brother, the number three citizen, the Senate President, is there and we say not at this time.

“We will go about our normal business and implore every Akwa Ibom resident not to be cowed into any faceless protest. Go about your normal business.

“At this critical time, leading a protest could be counterproductive and jeopardise public peace. Instead, we call on the government to address the pressing issues of hunger and to improve the living conditions of our citizens.”

He went on to say that they support keeping the state stable and peaceful. He acknowledged the economic difficulties that Nigerians were facing, but emphasized that in order to develop long-term solutions, communication and cooperation with the government were essential.

He said, “By urging our youths to shun the planned protests, we aim to prevent potential violence and promote a more peaceful approach to addressing our country’s economic woes.

“As Ex-Agitators in the struggle to build a Niger Delta, we can call our own, we strictly warn that no one, under the guise of protest, should attack individuals, loot, or steal. Looting must be condemned. Our members are already mobilised across the state to protect our infrastructure.

“Our public institutions belong to all Akwa Ibomites and were built with our resources. Therefore, no one should attack any office, public institution, or government infrastructure. Members of our forum are deployed everywhere in the state to defend our public utilities with their last drop of blood.”

Paulinus implored the populace to offer President Bola Tinubu an opportunity. He says that a nation cannot be built in a year. He pleaded for patience and promised to keep an eye on the situation as it develops.

Also speaking, the Secretary of the group, Johnson

Solomon, said, “When we were shouting about marginalisation, no one listened to us, and now you want us to collaborate to carry out protests? We say no. We in the Niger Delta are coming out en masse to be anti-protesters to the faceless group.”

Emmanuel Essang, the chairman of Obollo Youths, stated that as long as requests are met through discussion, the days of protesting are ended.

“The days of taking to the streets have passed, and we are in the era of intellectual struggle. The president has heard the yearnings of Nigerians and he will address them. Rome was not built in a day,” he said.