Aggrieved Students Beat Up Governor’s Aide In Cross River

A Special Assistant to Governor Ben Ayade on Student Matters, Mr Michael Abuo, was reportedly beaten up by aggrieved students from Cross River State for allegedly withholding N300,000 that was given for ‘mobilisation.’

Reports by Punch stated that the incident happened at the U.J Esuene Stadium in the state during a reception in honour of the governor following the December 9 Supreme Court ruling which validated Ayade’s election.

It was learnt that the governor gave N1m to each of the 29 commissioners and some other aides to mobilise the people for the victory celebration in Calabar which Abuo refused to release.

The governor’s aide reportedly took to his heels when the aggrieved students overpowered him.

He was said to have jumped over the stadium fence into the hands of the Police who rescued him and took him away from the scene.

The higher institution students noted that the governor promised them the alleged N300,000 for joining them in celebrating his victory.

A student of the University of Calabar, who spoke with the daily said that they had appealed to the aide to release the fund, but he refused. “We got the information from a reliable source that the governor approved N300,000 for us for mobilisation, but he refused to release the money.

“We are over 200 that came from different parts of the state for this celebration. Instead of releasing the money, he became infuriated when we confronted him. He has been short-changing us for too long.”

When the daily contacted the governor’s aide, he said the attack was sponsored.