Youths of Obudu Local Government Area in Cross River State, have staged a peaceful protest rejecting the ongoing Obudu International Passenger and Cargo Airport project.
According to Mr. Kajetan Ifeayi, who took to social media disclosed that, “Youths of the four affected villages – Igwo, Okambi, Atiekpe and Ikwomikwu have pledged not to leave their ancestral home.”
The protesters displaying placards with different inscriptions such as “We don’t have land for airport”, “Ayade leave Okambi alone”, ” We can’t lose our heritage”, “No to demolition of our land and houses” amongst others.
Protesting peacefully at the site of the airport were work is ongoing, the youths lamented that, their only source of survival which is farming has been forcefully taken away from them by the Ayade led administration, and now their ancestral heritage.
The protest was occasioned by a public notice from the Senior Special Adviser to the Governor on Major Projects, Mr. Paul Obi, dated 24/12/2020, titled “Clearing and Earthwork on the Terminal Building Area” requesting the immediate relocation of those affected.
The eviction order which sparked waves of belligerency in many quarters saw the youths on the streets expressing their tantrum, refusing that they cannot leave their ancestral home.