Gov. Ben Ayade of Cross River, stunned by the wild looting of government and private assets by angry residents, has ordered a house-to-house search to retrieve the loot.

He also charged security agencies to take legitimate actions to halt the spate of arson and carnage witnessed in some parts of Calabar.

The governor gave the police the tasks in a release issued on Sunday in Calabar by, Mr Christian Ita, Special Adviser, Media and Publicity.

According to Ita, Ayade asked the police to arrest anyone involved in the looting of both public and private property in the state.

The governor who said he understood the pain of the people, noted that there was need to protect the collective commonwealth of the people.

He said the commonwealth was threatened by some persons who are desperately trying to discredit the peaceful disposition of the citizens of Cross River.

Ayade urged the security agencies to take legitimate actions to ensure that calm returned to the state, especially as the government was already working towards ensuring the demands of those who genuinely participated in the #EndSARS march are met.

The governor also called on the citizens to rise up and defend their land from criminal elements bent on destroying the image of the state.

NAN