The Nigeria Export Processing Zones Authority, NEPZA, has called for the prosecution of those responsible for the looting and destruction of facilities at the Tinapa Free Trade Zone in Cross River State during the 2020 EndSARS unrest.
NEPZA described the incident as a devastating blow to investments worth trillions of naira.
Head of Corporate Communications at NEPZA, Dr Martins Odeh, made the call during a media tour of the Tinapa complex organised by NEPZA to enable journalists to assess the extent of damage to infrastructure at the once-thriving business and tourism destination, six years after the incident.
Odeh described the destruction as a major setback to the economic aspirations of Cross River State and Nigeria, lamenting that no one had been prosecuted over the incident.
“This story has not been told ever since. It has been considered a political gimmick, but it is reality,” Odeh said, urging Nigerians to appreciate the scale of the losses suffered by the facility.
He said several installations, including the Tinapa Hotel, the light rail project and other major infrastructure, were extensively vandalised and looted during the unrest, leaving investments worth trillions of naira in ruins.
“We have brought journalists from Abuja to see things for themselves. Nobody is lying here. Nigerians need to understand what happened to this investment,” he said.
Odeh expressed concern that, despite the magnitude of the destruction, no individual had been held accountable, stressing the need for the law to take its course.
“The information we got is that nobody has been prosecuted. Our law must work. We are working very hard to ensure that those behind this destruction, whether at home or abroad, are brought to justice,” he stated.
He described Tinapa as a strategic economic asset capable of stimulating commerce, tourism and employment, noting that its extensive commercial facilities were designed to position the zone as a major destination for investors and businesses.
“What can be more defining than this structure, which is many times bigger than several modern shopping complexes? Today, there is no single soul here. This was supposed to be Tinapa, a major source of economic activity for Nigeria,” he said.
According to him, the destruction significantly undermined investor confidence and disrupted efforts to develop the free trade zone into a hub for trade, tourism and industrial activities.
Despite the setbacks, the NEPZA spokesman expressed optimism that Tinapa could be revived through sustained collaboration between the Federal Government and the Cross River State Government.
“Our hope is that the state government and NEPZA will continue to work together to resuscitate this place. Tinapa will work again and support the economy, create jobs and provide opportunities for future generations,” he said.
Odeh also appealed to prospective investors to consider opportunities within the zone, assuring them that security had improved and that efforts were underway to revitalise the facility.
“We are calling on investors to return. We have enough security in place, and we are committed to revitalising this environment,” he added.
Tinapa was conceived during the administration of former Cross River State Governor Donald Duke as a world-class business and tourism destination designed to attract investment, stimulate commerce and generate employment.
Although the complex suffered extensive destruction during the EndSARS unrest, NEPZA maintains that it retains significant economic potential and could once again contribute to growth and development in Cross River State and the wider Nigerian economy.
