Gadget resellers in Calabar, Cross River, took to the streets on Wednesday, protesting the loss of over N700 million to relentless burglary attacks in the past three months.

The protesters carried placards with bold messages like “Business can’t thrive in an unsafe environment, Our gadget shops are shutting down.”

The protesters decried the surge in robberies, blaming the lack of police patrols from midnight to dawn.

According to their spokesman, Mr. Paschal Obi, at least seven shops have been looted, with losses amounting to hundreds of millions secured through bank loans.

“Over N700 million is gone. We’re barely surviving. The government must step in and secure our businesses,” Obi pleaded.

Business owners like George Nwosu and Benjamin Okro shared their horror stories Nwosu’s shop was hit twice in 2024, while Benjamin suffered back-to-back break-ins last December, losing goods worth N400 million.

The Public Relations Officer, Cross River Police Command, SP Irene Ugbo, confirmed an investigation is underway and promised to deploy a stationary patrol team to bolster security in the affected areas.