Following the Akwa Ibom state house of assembly siege, thousands of Akwa-Ibom women on Thursday protested in Uyo, the state capital, and demanded the immediate sack of Musa Kimo, the state commissioner of police.
The protesters, who were led by Glory Edet, commissioner for women affairs, and Mmeme Akpabio, state women leader of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), and Akon Eyakenyi, a former minister.
They marched into the assembly complex at 9am to condemn what they believed was an “intimidation by the federal government”.
“For the sake of peace in this state, we want the removal of Commissioner of Police, Musa Kimo from our state,” Edet told reporters.
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“We have always had peace, and we want that peace to continue. We cannot have a police force that will abet the level of illegality that we have witnessed in the House of Assembly.
“Introducing anything other than peace in Akwa Ibom is alien to our people. When there is crisis anywhere and women step in, there is always peace. This is why we have stepped in.’’
The speaker of the state house, while addressing the women, urged them to continue to pray for peace and to not be afraid to rise to defend democracy.
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The women groups that participated in the protest were drawn from the 31 local government areas of Akwa Ibom state.
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