Fear, sentiment greet #EndBadGovernance protest in Calabar as residents remain indoors

Fear, sentiment and history have greeted the #EndBadGovernance protest as it enters day two in Calabar, Cross River State capital.

CONVERSEER reports that 10 persons, including a journalist and activists, were arrested in Calabar on Thursday, 1st August 2024, while protesting against hunger and bad governance.

However, they were later released, according to SP Irene Ugbo, police spokesperson in the state, who said, “It was not a peaceful protest. Somebody came out and started recruiting those on the street to cause unrest. It is wrong.

“The Police were not informed. If you want to protest, you should let us know and we’ll send officers to follow you. We have released them anyway.”

Shops closed at Marian Market, Calabar during the #EndBadGovernance protest. (Photo: Frank Ulom/Converseer)

The arrest has sent chills to the residents of Cross River State as they are now afraid to come out and protest even though they are also facing the hardship the nation is facing or even worse.

Another reason keeping the people of the state indoors is sentiment – political, tribal, religious and selfish interest.

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CONVERSEER gathered from various media reports that some groups of people allegedly collected money from those in power to kick against the protest.

Barr. Alphonsus Eba, APC Chairman in the state said the members of the party will not join the #EndBadGovernance protest but will rather rally in support of President Bola Tinubu’s administration whose policies are crumbling the economy of the nation.

Another major reason Cross Riverians are indoors is history. History has shown, as in the 2020 #EndSARS protest, that protests in the state are always likely to go sour. So, many don’t want what happened in October 2020, the wanton destruction of over 60 establishments, to happen again.

Deserted Marian Market, Calabar during the #EndBadGovernance protest. (Photo: Frank Ulom/Converseer)

So far, markets, shops, businesses, motor parks, banks, and private and government offices have been closed in Calabar, the state capital. The streets are empty, with only a handful of people going to buy what to eat.