A prominent human rights activist and chieftain of the All Progressives Congress, Obono-Obla, has dismissed former Vice President Atiku Abubakar’s recent claims concerning insecurity in Calabar. Obono-Obla characterized these assertions as unfounded and rooted in gossip, far removed from the reality in the Cross River State capital.
During a broadcast appearance, he stated that Calabar is among the safest cities in Nigeria and commended Governor Bassey Otu for implementing effective security measures. He emphasized that under the governor’s leadership, security in the region has significantly improved, highlighting that previously, kidnappings of university lecturers and doctors were commonplace.
Obono-Obla noted the appointment of a retired Major General as the state security adviser, alongside other enhanced security provisions including increased police presence and collaboration with various security agencies. He expressed concern over Atiku’s reliance on rumors rather than factual information regarding the state’s security status.
Addressing an incident involving the campaign convoy of Peter Obi, the presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress, Obono-Obla remarked that stone-throwing during political rallies can occur, even in established democracies, and suggested that the event might stem from internal conflicts within Obi’s party rather than reflecting a broader security concern.
