Rivers crisis: Kalabari women insist Wike won’t access Abalama

Hundreds of women from Kalabari extraction in Rivers State have barricaded the road leading into their kingdom, insisting that the Minister of Federal Capital Territory, Chief Nyesom Wike, would not access their area for the Civic Reception organised in his honour.

The women, who were adorned in black attire with white lace strapped around their heads, stormed the area as early as 7 am to commence the protest.

It would be recalled that the NEW Associates had planned to host the Minister to a Grand Reception on Saturday, March 15 in Abalama community, Asari-Toru Local Government Area.

But the King of Abalama Kingdom, the area where the event is planned to take place, His Royal Highness, King Big Tom-Tom, had urged the associates of the Minister to cancel the event, adding that the community would not accept any political gathering at the moment.

However, it was gathered that the organisers of the event continued the preparation for the event, insisting that the event must be held as planned.

But women of different age brackets took to the road, demanding that the event must not be held in Kalabari.

The protesting women said they would not allow Wike to enter their community over his comment that the Kalabari were a minority in the state.