Gentlemen of the Press
The Ethical and Attitudinal Reorientation Commission, EARCOM is a Statutory
Commission primarily saddled with the responsibility of re-engineering the entire citizenry for greater responsibilities and a better society Under our watch and stewardship, EARCOM has strenuously pursued the aforesaid objectives while vigorously campaigning for a socially responsible citizenry that are averse to social vices including, rape, gender based violence, cultism, drug abuse, child labour human and sex trafficking, examination malpractices, electoral fraud and all forms of criminality.
in our pursuit of a just and egalitarian society, we have also been inspired by the efforts of the First Lady, Dr Martha Udom Emmanuel in fighting social vices and have accordingly taken our campaigns to schools and other institutions of learning, visited churches, interfaced with traditional and religious leaders as well as held workshops and seminars for public sensitization on the need for ethical rebirth and attitudinal change.
As many of you are aware, the EndSARS, a decentralized movement and series of mass protests by Nigerian youths, started in 2017 as a Twitter campaign using the hashtag #ENDSARS. This youth movement has always called for the disbandment of the Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS), because of Its brutality to young Nigerians and other forms of human rights abuses
In early October 2020, the protests took a more serious dimension, as they became more intense and widespread. Hundreds and thousands of our youths poured into the streets in many parts of the country, including Akwa Ibom State, to call for the scrapping of SARS.
Two weeks into the peaceful demonstrations, hooligans hijacked the protests, and tumed it into a theatre of banditry, setting public and private buildings on fire, as well as breaking into shops and looting them.
Particularly on Thursday, 22 October, 2020, Uyo, the capital of Akwa Ibom State, known for its serenity and peaceful ambience, was surprisingly thrown into chaos, by some hoodlums who were working against the good intentions of the EndSARS protesters.
broke into and looted De Choice Mall near Ibom Plaza, and ransacked the LG electronics shop along Ikot Ekpene Road, to mention a few of the atrocities. STRIKING EXAMPLE OF AFAHA UBE ITAM YOUTHS AS MODELS
They torched the Anchor Insurance edifice along Wellington Bassey Way,
In a swift bid to curb the menace and forestall further destruction of property and looting of shops, His Excellency, Mr. Udom Emmanuel, the State Govemor, immediately imposed a state-wide curfew. The strategy seriously checked the movements of the lawless youths. And in this, the Governor demonstrated enormous leadership and empathy in managing the crisis to restore social stability and security in the State. In such challenging times, the youths of Afaha Ube Itam in Itu Local Government Area,
particularly in the Afaha Ube axis, lived the Akwa Ibom spirit. They voluntarily mobilized to search house to house to discover, recover and return to the Ilam Police Station flat-screen television sets, deep freezers, refrigerators, and many other electronic gadgets the hoodlums had stolen from the LG electronics shop. They even contributed money to transport those items to the police station.
By this ethical conduct, the Afaha Ube Ilam youths have demonstrated that they are true Akwa Ibom youths, who are great people with great minds; and that they have really risen to the faith of greatness Indeed, they have validated their true identity as model youths in Alewa Ibom State who are worthy of emulation by all other young people in the State.
AN EXEMPLARY POLICE OFFICER - CSP FRANCIS ERAHBOR It also interests us to showcase this impressive police officer who has emerged a hero even in the midst of the excesses of SARS. Encouraged by what the Afaha Ube Itam
youths had started, Chief Superintendent of Police Francis Ethagbor, the DPO of the Itam Police Station, D Division, mobilized his officers and men, and in efficient collaboration with the youths, mounted intensive search to recover many looted items carted away by the hoodlums. The outstanding feature is that he did it in such a masterly way and with such human relations skills that really fit him in the mold of a distinguished professional.
It would be recalled that on 28 September, 2020, President Muhammadu Buhari honoured CSP Francis Erhagbor, who has distinguished himself as a socially responsible police officer at State House, Abuja.
A diligent, upright and patriotic officer of the Nigeria Police, Mr. Erhagbor is a sterling example other police officers should emulate. This will go a long way in redeeming the already battered image of the Nigeria Police. We at EARCOM celebrate this outstanding officer for his sense of commatment to high morals and undiluted dedication to duty that is really contributing to building a better Nigeria
WHY OUR YOUTHS SHOULD KEEP THE PEACE IN AKWA IBOM STATE
Our hearts at EARCOM are with all the familles who have lost any youth following the End SARS protests in particular, and all the youths In general.
As a Commission saddled with many responsibilities including restoring our ethical and moral sensibilities, propagating the need to eschew all vices in public life, and to mobilize the populace for positive and patriotic participation in state building, we implore all our youths that destruction of private and public property and looting are a very serious negation of progress both as individuals and as a collectivity. Destruction always causes huge losses. In fact, the symbol of the youths' two noblest efforts is: to constructand to refrain from destruction.
The efforts of the State Government in facilitating EARCOM'S numerous public enlightenment campaigns, advocacy visits, and attitudinal reorientation seminars and workshops, all targeted at making Akwa Ibomites, especially our youthis, socially responsible ditizens who shun rape, gender-based violence, cultism, drug abuse, child labour, examination malpractice, electoral fraud, and so on, are very commendable.
Therefore, our youths should keep the momentum of peace and the drive for tranquility in the State. We have a listening and youths-friendly Governor. So let us not use our hands to destroy the good things we have built together
CONCLUSION
May the examples of the Afaha Ube Itam youths and CSP Erhagbor inspire our hearts. May the words of the Dakkada Creed build up our faith in our greatness. And may these eternal lines of the Akwa Ibom State Anthem eve guide us: "Let the war-like sheathe his sword, still all vices in the land. Grant your rule O Prince of Peace, that our State may ever be. Peaceful ever And warring never"
Thank you very much!
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