Civil rights lawyer and former presidential adviser, Okoi Obono-Obla, has called on Cross River State Governor Bassey Otu and the Chairman of Calabar Municipal Council, James Anam, to urgently curb what he described as rising violence by council rate agents and criminal elements against traders and residents.
Obono-Obla said the situation persists despite a directive issued more than two months ago by Governor Otu ordering council agents to stop harassing and assaulting traders.
In a statement released on Sunday in Calabar, he alleged that touts, cultists and petty criminals have taken control of major markets, including Marian Market and Ika Ika Qua.
He accused the groups of routinely harassing and physically abusing traders, particularly elderly women, who depend on the markets for their livelihoods.
According to Obono-Obla, the agents operate with impunity, subjecting unsuspecting market women to violence in actions he described as unlawful and damaging to the image of the Calabar Municipal Council.
He said public markets under the constitutional responsibility of local governments have become hostile spaces marked by intimidation and fear, infringing on the fundamental rights and dignity of vulnerable citizens.
While acknowledging efforts by the council chairman to promote transparency, including the publication of the proposed 2026 budget, Obono-Obla said transparency must be matched with firm action to restore order.
“Transparency in governance is commendable, but it must be matched with decisive measures to protect fundamental rights and restore sanity in public spaces,” he said.
He urged council authorities to rein in touts and criminal elements, stressing that restoring order and respect for human dignity is essential to rebuilding public confidence in local governance.