Police begin arrest and prosecution of masquerades for Akwa Ibom State
Wia dis foto come from, Akwa Ibom State Police Command
Akwa Ibom state govment don ban di display of masquerade activities for streets and highways for di state.
Di state govnor Umo Eno wey sign one executive order to di effect tok say di decision dey necessary to "protect di citizens from di harassment, violence, and public disorder these activities don recently cause".
Di ban dey come afta one recent wave of attacks on innocent residents by suspected criminals wey disguise as masquerades for various parts of di southern state.
Di govnor say "as di Chief Security Officer of di state, I don direct di Commissioner of Police and oda heads of security agencies to arrest and prosecute anyone wey dem catch.
"Make we stop to terrorise pipo. Make pipo get peace. All di ones I see wen we dey drive, please make dem know say e dey hereby banned. No more." Oga Eno add.
On 30 November, 2025, di govnor sign one Executive Order wey officially ban masquerade activities on di streets and highways of Akwa Ibom State as necessary measure to protect pipo from di harassment, violence, and public disorder wey di activities of masquerades recently don cause.
As e sign di order, e say im fully respect di culture of di state, but no cultural practice suppose endanger lives or disrupt public peace.
"If anybodi wish to display masquerades, e must to dey within di village squares—no be for our streets, no be for our communities."
End of Di one wey oda users dey read well well
Govnor Eno add say di state dey expect thousands of visitors dis Christmas season, dem must show say Akwa Ibom dey peaceful, orderly, and safe and so e direct security agencies to enforce dis order across all 31 LGAs.
"We go continue to promote our rich culture and tourism, but never at di expense of public safety or human dignity." Oga Uno tok.
Wia dis foto come from, Akwa Ibom State Police Command
Masquerades display na common cultural feature across Akwa Ibom state and often times, masquerades dey pursue children and pipo as a way to make fun.
However, reports say dem dey harass pipo na im make govment ban dem as way to check di excesses of such activities.
Following di executive order wey ban dem, some security agencies don begin arrest and prosecute some masquerades, and fotos on social media show say dem arraign di masquerades wey dem arrest for court.
Dis don draw plenty tok-tok, as some pipo say di govment suppose regulate di activities of di masquerades, dem say di ban dey undermine di culture of di pipo of di state.
Odas raise concerns say di ban fit negatively impact cultural tourism for di state. Dem beg di govment to reconsider and find oda alternative solutions to address di security concerns.
Police express readiness to implement di ban
Wia dis foto come from, Akwa Ibom State Government
Di activities of suspected criminals wey dey disguise as masquerades don dey of particular concern to di Akwa Ibom State Police Command in recent times, as Baba Azare, di state commissioner of police, announce di arrest of suspects wey currently dey face trial.
Di command don also arrest one pesin wey bin dey wakabout wit full masquerade regalia and dey disturb di peace, as e say di police go fully obey and implement di order of di govnor.
Meanwhile, tok-tok pesin for di police for Akwa Ibom Timfon John don advise all masqueraders say bifor dem display, dem gatz seek clearance from di police and limit am to dia village square.
To dey wakabout di streets of Akwa Ibom as masquerade na crime and di police no go hesitate to arrest and prosecute defaulters. Please, make evribodi dey guided, she add.
