Description

Irate youths drawn from the Eastern Obolo Local Government Area of Akwa Ibom State on Saturday took to the streets to protest plans by the state government to remap the state.

Recall that the Bill titled, “State Map Establishment Bill” passed by the state legislature is now awaiting Governor Udom Emmanuel’s assent.

Our correspondent reports that the Bill had sparked pockets of protests by youths from other local government areas of Mbo, and Ibeno, in the state, who have expressed resentment over the bill and vowed that it would not sail through.

In Eastern Obolo, thousands of the protesters who converged at the Okorettee junction of the town, as early as 7:30 am on Saturday, barricaded the major highways leading to the oil companies operating in the area and stopped official vehicular movement into the town.

The youths spread charms along the road and occasionally gulped dry gin and beer displaying placards of various inscriptions.

Addressing the protesters, the President, Eastern Obolo Interest Group, Mr Gabriel Gabriel vowed that no one community in Eastern Obolo would be ceded to another local government area in the name of remapping the state.

He said ” We are out today because we perceived that the state government has sent surveyors to survey our land for a new map and we are saying no to that policy because they have not come to us to create awareness on what they want to do; we just see them come up with a new policy.