By Frank Ulom
CALABAR (CONVERSEER) – Fear is creeping into the hearts of residents of Calabar in Cross River State over the increasing number of corpses littered across the metropolis.
For the past three months, over five corpses have been discovered by the residents on the streets, some of which have stayed for days and started decomposing.
The most recent was an unidentified woman who was found dead lying at Atimbo Junction, close to the Margaret Ekpo International Airport.
Iwara Iwara, a broadcast journalist who encountered the corpse this time around, said the corpse has been lying there since last Saturday.
Drawing the attention of the authorities, Iwara took to Facebook on Monday and wrote thus: “The corpse of an unidentified woman, has been lying at the Atimbo Road Junction, Calabar.
“We appeal that the relevant government agency will step in as the corpse has been lying there since last Saturday and it is decomposing. This is an appeal please.”
Another resident, Tom Alims, said he saw the woman a day before yesterday lying with a loaf of bread beside her, not knowing she was already dead.
“I passed by and saw the lady yesterday, with a loaf of bread beside her. I thought it was a mad woman just sleeping, not knowing she’s dead. Chai!” Alims said.
Prince Alobi, another resident who encountered two different scenarios, said, “This is the woman I spoke about in my post last night. Please check. I had to ask if she is covered, and I placed stones last night when I noticed the breeze that could pull it out.”
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In his previous post, Alobi asked, “How many more must die?
“Today, I was driving through the popular Marian Road in Calabar and saw this man in his late 50s at this supposed bus stop. I took this pic of him for a write-up, then left for the car, then decided to zoom in on the pic to see the clarity of my shot when something struck me to go back to him. But I didn’t want to return to him without something for him. I quickly locked my car, took a walk back to the closest fast-food place to grab a meal.
“I hurriedly came back, tried to wake him up but noticed he was pale and hardly moving. I moved closer to listen to his breathing then I noticed he was still breathing but weak and already stinky. I tapped him gently and lifted him up, forgetting he had just woken, he swiftly and trembly reached out for the sachet of water in hand and gulped it like a warring horse starved on the battlefield, he then pleaded I give him the food and I told him it was for him so he didn’t have to beg for it. I went back to my car and wept cos that could be anybody.
“A few minutes later, as I was driving through the Atimbo roundabout, I saw a woman again lying just close to the roundabout in Atimbo, but when I stepped out to check again, I was too late as she was pale and lifeless. This broke me so bad I couldn’t cry this time but looked up to the heavens speechless with so many questions I would love to ask my creator.”
Alobi noted further that, “She is still lying at that spot, the authorities should pls pick her remains before it becomes a threat to health. Today has just been a story I will tell in my dreams.”
Converseer reports that over five corpses have been found, mostly on the streets, in Calabar in the last three months, including the one behind the Basin Authority, the entrance of the NYSC Secretariat, Marian, Etta-Agbor, and in a hotel.
We urge the authorities to investigate this trend to know the root cause and put an end to it.
