Why I Toured Canada, Thailand And Taiwan – Ayade, Says He Had To Rest In Abuja For Health Reasons

Cross River Governor, Ben Ayade, Wednesday in Calabar explained why he spent almost a month touring three countries and cited health reasons for his delayed arrival from Abuja.

Ayade who spoke with journalists shortly after his arrival at the Margaret Ekpo International Airport described his visit to Asia as “Imperative” owing to the policy direction of the federal government in diversifying the economy.

“President Buhari has tried to move the state and indeed the nation to focus more on agriculture and rice is one of the crops chosen. The choice of investing in rice requires us to have the full understanding of the rice technology.

“We are in a digital race and I don’t intend us to grow rice in the local manner. Unfortunately, because agriculture is now technologically intensive and less manual, it became imperative for me to learn the trend and because Thailand is the major exporter of rice across the globe, it became more imperative for me to understudy Thailand and that is why I took my time to be in a rice farm, understudy every aspect of rice production.

Ayade, Heads Of Security Agencies Shut Down Calabar In “Operation Show Of Force”, To Pay 10 Million For Kingpins

The governor of Cross River State, Ben Ayade, Saturday alongside heads of security agencies in the state embarked on “Operation Show Of Force” in Calabar in a bid to intimidate criminal elements who of recent, have held the state to ransom.

This is even as the Police Commissioner, Jimoh Ozi-Obeh denied the involvement of police officers in the several robberies and crimes perpetrated by criminal elements with the State Security Adviser, Jude Ngaji saying the necessary logistics and strategies are been provided and perfected respectively.

“We are out here as a show of force to demonstrate that we are in absolute control and we are going to keep Calabar totally safe” Ayade told journalists at the end of the exercise, adding that, “we have done a complete surveillance of all the possible routes, all the water areas through which these criminals escape.”

The governor disclosed that the display which saw around 100 patrol and assault styled vehicles patrol all the, highways, avenues, highbrow and major streets in Calabar which caused traffic to grind to a halt, was part of their agreement from the security meeting held Friday which he briefed press men on some of the resolutions.

I’ll Give My Right Hand To Secure Cross River – Ayade

Cross River State Governor, Prof. Ben Ayade has vowed to deplore everything at his disposal to ensure the protection of lives and property in the state.

Ayade gave the assurance yesterday in Calabar when he undertook the inspection of the deployment of security operatives at strategic places around the Calabar metropolis.

This came barely 48 hours after he joined service commanders on Operation Show of Force, an exercise aimed at demonstrating the combat readiness of the joint military task force code named Operation Skolombo along major streets in the metropolis.

His words: “We have responded fully to this challenge and I’m sure that we have seen sufficient signals that we are totally in control and fully in charge. The truth of the matter is that, if we have crisis in other states, visitors will probably still go there because of their oil and gas installations, but if we lose our tranquillity, if we lose the name and heritage of Cross River State as a peaceful state, then we are gone. That is why I will give my right hand to protect that name, that integrity and warmth that we are known for.”

Cross River Is My Favorite State In Nigeria – US Ambassador

Out-going United States Ambassador to Nigeria, Mr. James Entwistle has identified Cross River as his favourite state in the country.

Entwistle who stated this at a valedictory press conference in Abuja said his last visit to the state left a lasting impression on his mind.

Asked which place in Nigeria was his favourite, he said: “I remember I took a trip to the northern part of Cross River State to look at the wild life that is still alive in this country-gorillas, elephants and all sorts of things. That was a tremendous trip.”

He added that he would not mind spending more time in Cross River State should he return to Nigeria.

His words: “If I come back to Nigeria, I would not mind spending more time there” (Cross River).

Insecurity: Cross River Takes Fight To The Creeks, Destroy Bayside Shanties

Bayside shanties perceived to be harboring criminal elements in Calabar, the Cross River State capital, were Tuesday raided and destroyed in a renewed war against insecurity in the state.

This comes less than a week after the inauguration of the “Operation Show of Force” by governor, Ben Ayade last Friday, a codename for the onslaught by the state government to curb the rising level of insecurity.

The State Security Adviser, Mr. Jude Ngaji, while addressing journalists shortly after one of the bayside shanties located at Obufa Esuk community behind the University of Calabar, where a lecturer, his wife and child were abducted recently, said all ingress and egress routes were manned by security operatives to checkmate the activities of “the bad guys”.

Jude said that, “The governor made it very clear, he said no more hiding place for criminals. First of all, you have seen it clearly, this is where the lecturers were taken out from and we saw a deliberate conspiracy between these fishermen and those kidnappers.

“We have taken out the major route (and) that is how we intend to carry out the fight to these guys. This just started, we have other places (and) we will continue to hit these places, so there will be no hiding place for the bad guys”.

LGAs That Default On Revenue Remittance Will Be Sent To Revenue Court For Prosecution – Steve Ukpukpen, Chair Public Accounts Committee

The Chairman, Cross River State House of Assembly Committee on Public Accounts, Hon. Steve Ukpukpen has stated emphatically that any Local Government Council that is found to have questions hanging over its revenue remittances will be sent to the revenue court for prosecution.

Hon. Ukpukpen decried situations in the past where councils were left off the hook by the Executive after the Legislature has found them culpable and had sent a resolution to the Executive.

The member representing Obudu in the House of Assembly, made this known when the Committee on Public Accounts held a meeting with the Local Councils in the Northern Senatorial District to reconcile the revenue of the councils.

His words, “Some of the councils generate enough revenue to run their affairs but due to mismanagement nothing reasonable is seen. Any council with any question mark will be sent to the revenue court where the Chief Judge will appoint a judge to look into the case.

APC Calls On Cross River Assembly To Impeach Ayade

The Cross River State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC), on Monday, called on the State House of Assembly to impeach the state Governor Ben Ayade for several constitutional breaches.

The call was made by the Chairman of the APC in the state, John Ochala, during a press conference in Calabar, the state capital.

The APC chairman averred that Ayade should be impeached for breaching the constitution as well as his lukewarm approach to the various security challenges facing the state.

Speaking alongside the National Vice Chairman of APC (South-South), Hilliard Eta, and a former member of House of Representatives, Paul Adah, the APC state chairman pointed out the recent kidnap of an APC chieftain in the state, Senator Patrick Ani.

Immigration, Police Expel 23 Suspected Herdsmen, Illegal Immigrants From Obudu

CrossRiverWatch has reliably gathered that 23 suspected herdsmen and illegal immigrants from neighboring Niger Republic have were yesterday expelled from Obudu by a joint team of the Nigeria Immigration and Nigeria Police force.

The eviction which was coordinated in conjunction with the office of the Security Adviser in the local government and the Community Relations Officer saw armed personnel escorting the suspected immigrants to the Obudu boundary with Obanlikwu LGA from where they continued their journey, yet into other parts of Cross River State.

A security source in Obudu told CrossRiverWatch that, the suspects from Niger Republic “came into Obudu a few months ago and have been selling traditional medicines to people and penetrating the villages. But our people have noticed them and there is outcry to get them out because of the prevailing security situation involving Fulani herdsmen in nearby Benue state and across the country. Our people have expressed serious fears about their presence.