EndSARS protest: Emmanuel’s N4m gift tears Akwa Ibom youths apart

Youth who participated in the EndSARS protest last Tuesday in Uyo, Akwa Ibom state are now bickering over the N4m allegedly dished out by Governor Udom Emmanuel to them.

The governor reportedly doled out the monetary gift after addressing them following request from the organizers for assistance to settle hospital bills of patients allegedly brutalised by the police, among other needs. It was gathered that the money was sent through the governor’s Special Adviser on Youth Matters, who disbursed the fund to the parties involved in the peaceful protest.

One of the aggrieved youths, simply identified as Carter said he has been inundated with threat messages and calls from his friends to produce the N4m he allegedly collected from the governor. He explained that he was only given the sum of N500,000 for distribution to others as organisers of the event adding that he was not given N4m as alleged. He narrated “A lot has been said about him following the End SARS protests on Tuesday. I’ve been inundated with calls from responsible people to ask about the whereabouts of 4million naira reportedly given to me by the Governor for the Tuesday protests.

“The rest have resorted to online bickering and name-calling. Well, I want to state the facts about the money categorically thus: Half an hour after the governor finished addressing the protesters, I got a call from a government official to come to Eni Stores with two(2) people from the protest ground.

I obliged. “On arrival, I was informed that His Excellency has given the sum of four(4) million naira and explained the sharing formula: (i) 2 million for “Uyo Youths” and 2 million for four (4) blocs of protest organisers(which he knew I was one of those who organised the said protest). “I was handed five hundred thousand naira (500,000) with specific instructions on how to share which I disbursed accordingly to five people.

“With this money, came a caveat that the information should be as discreet as possible and I agreed hence the reason for my initial denial which I’ve grossly regretted.

“Two days after, I kept getting threats from even my friends asking me to produce 4m given by the governor. I kept wondering where they got the information that I received 4m when in actual fact I received 500,000. “I’ve managed to build a reputation around my name that I would rather die than let anything or anybody put a dent on it. It is indispensable when it comes to protecting my name and reputation. “I hereby apologize to everybody who I’ve disappointed by my actions on Tuesday. This is a first for me and I’ve surely learnt my lessons. I’m really sorry.” Vanguard