"Obono-Obla Urges Calabar LG Chief to Tackle Touts and Cultists Targeting Traders"

Table of Contents

• Introduction
• Governor's Directive
• Unchecked Activities
• Harassment Issues
• Public Markets
• Call to Action

Civil rights attorney and former presidential adviser, Chief Okoi Obono-Obla, has urged Cross River State Governor Bassey Otu and Calabar Municipal Council Chairman, James Anam, to urgently address what he refers to as rising violence perpetrated by council rate agents and criminal elements against traders and law-abiding citizens.

More than two months ago, Governor Prince Bassey Otu instructed that council agents who intimidate and assault traders cease such inappropriate behavior; however, this directive has not been followed.

In a statement released in Calabar on Sunday, Chief Obono-Obla expressed concern over the unchecked actions of touts, cultists, and petty criminals who, he claims, have taken control of significant markets, including Marian Market and Ika Ika Qua.

He accused these individuals of harassing and physically assaulting elderly women and other traders who earn their livelihoods legitimately in these areas.

According to him, the agents operate with alarming boldness, openly subjecting innocent and unsuspecting market women to violence.

He characterized these actions as unlawful, reprehensible, and damaging to the reputation of the Calabar Municipal Council.

The legal expert noted that public markets and spaces, which fall under the constitutional responsibility of local governments, have become hostile environments characterized by intimidation, fear, and a "might-is-right" mentality, infringing upon the fundamental rights and dignity of the elderly, vulnerable, and hardworking citizens.

While recognizing the council chairman’s efforts to promote transparency, particularly through the publication of the proposed 2026 budget, he emphasized that transparency must be coupled with decisive action to restore order.

“Transparency in governance is commendable, but it must be paired with firm measures to protect fundamental rights and restore order in public spaces,” he stated.

“There is an urgent need to curb the activities of these touts and cultists, whose actions have undermined good governance and public trust.”

He called on the council leadership to show greater commitment to order, discipline, and respect for human dignity in order to reverse what he described as a state of lawlessness and chaos in the municipality.

“Only then can the Calabar Municipal Council truly embody the principles of good governance and serve the people rather than oppress them,” he asserted.

Frequently Asked Questions