Atiku accuses Gov Otu of prioritising personal security over residents

Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has accused Cross River State Governor Bassey Otu of prioritising the security of his private residence over the safety of residents living in the neighbourhood.

Atiku, the presidential candidate of the African Democratic Congress, ADC, alleged that while armed policemen and two roadblocks protect the governor’s private residence in Calabar, neighbouring houses have been exposed to repeated robbery attacks.

In a post on his X handle on Tuesday, Atiku cited reports from residents of the estate, claiming that one person had lost an air conditioner and a freezer to burglars, while two other houses on a nearby street were reportedly attacked last week.

He also criticised Otu for allegedly running the state from his private residence for nearly three years while the Government House undergoes renovation.

Atiku questioned the governor’s ability to guarantee security for residents outside his immediate neighbourhood, arguing that the alleged situation reflected an imbalance in the deployment of security personnel.

“If the APC cannot secure the street beside the governor, what does it offer the villages beyond the capital?” he asked.