Brothers at war: Why Akwa Ibom, Cross River communities are at each other’s throats

Though the two towns of Ikot Ofiong and Oku Iboku are neighbours, they have been having a running battle with each other for ages over a fishing settlement. INIOBONG EKPONTA, reports on what is being done to bring peace to the affected communities.

MANY Nigerians would easily remember Oku Iboku. They may fail the test if asked where the town is actually located between Cross River and Akwa Ibom states. But many will easily remember that it is a metaphor for Nigeria’s failure to sustain a thriving paper industry and even export the product to other countries. Today, the paper mill is moribund.

The fight to revive the paper mill might have been lost, but there is, currently, a war between the people of the town, Oku Iboku, Akwa Ibom and Ikot Ofiong, in Cross River, over a disputed fishing settlement which has further deteriorated the frosty relationship between the two sister states – the former having been carved out of the old Cross River State by a former military ruler, General Ibrahim Babangida, on September 23, 1987.

The protracted war, which, according to Chief Ekpenyong Udoh, a community leader in Oku Iboku, brought in its wake, “some poison and a big sense of hate” and has constantly threatened to disconnect the social bond.

“The problem is as old as history, because many of us grew up to see the fight, even when Akwa-Ibom was still under the old Cross River State,” he recalled.

Chief Udoh while speaking with Sunday Tribune said the people of Ikot Ofiong migrated into the fishing settlement belonging to Oku Iboku several years back as fishermen and farmers because of the water and the fertile land area.

“Because the area is rich in fish and other marine resources, the people who migrated from the neighbouring Akpabuyo in Cross River, started expanding and encroaching on other areas that we did not give to them to farm,” Chief Udoh recalled, noting that such attitude always led to frictions and with heavy casualties on both sides. He added: “more than 250 people have been killed since the conflict began several years ago.”

In the same vein, Obong Joseph Etim, a member of a local vigilance group in the area, lamented that “because of the war, we are living in serious fear due to the fact that it is when you least expect tha, violence would just engulf the community and spread to the major access road to Calabar.

“Because of the need to withstand the fire power of the Ikot Ofiong warriors, many of our community youths have been made to belong to fetish cults, in order to fortify themselves to be able to face them.

“Several times, we have pushed them out of our communities to stay with their brothers at the neighbouring Odukpani, but they would still remain there to launch attacks on us.”

Currently, the Oku Iboku community, home to the moribund paper mill, bears the scars of war, with several burnt houses and shops along the Calabar-Itu water front, the result of the recent attack on December 29, 2016 in which no fewer than 10 persons were killed.

It was followed by another attack recently during which 20 people were feared killed from both Oku Iboku and Ikot Ofiong.

Fighting back tears, Madam Atim Umanah, who trades in fish and other aquatic resources by the Itu waterfront, lamented that “I have lost all that I worked for in those two incidents.

“They (Ikot Ofiong people) came in several buses and speedboats and started shooting at random and setting fire to our houses and shops. My wares, including both fresh and dry fishes, crayfish were burnt along with physical cash,” she claimed.

Another woman, Afiong Ubom, who relocated to Uyo, the state capital after the first attack, said: “Only the grace of God helped me to survive the invasion. It was like a movie scene; they just arrived and the next thing we heard were gunshots everywhere and burning of houses.”

Worried by the protracted disputes, it was gathered that a former Deputy governor of the state, Obong Chris Ekpenyong, who chaired the boundary committee in the government of Obong Victor Attah (1999-2007), waded into the matter and subsequently there was semblance of peace. But some years later, the case resurrected, with more killings on both sides.

On their own part, the people of Ikot Ofiong denied being the aggressors in the war, alleging that the attacks were always orchestrated by the people of Oku Iboku, with the aid of security forces.

According to a protest letter signed on behalf of the people of Ikot Ofiong, by one Chief Etim Bassey Offiong, the Oku Iboku natives weere caused of planning ethnic cleansing against them.

Part of the letter read: “The people of Oku Iboku on January 16, 2017, crossed the bridge and attacked our people using dangerous weapons and killed some of us.” The Ikot Ofiong people alleged further that one Bassey Ekpo, their kinsman, who was returning from Port Harcourt, was killed.

Calling on the Federal Government to intervene with a view to putting perpetual end to the conflict, the traditional chief solicited for a permanent security protection to avoid more bloodshed in the communities.

In the meantime, the deputy governor of Akwa Ibom State, Mr Moses Ekpo, has visited the scene of the recent violence along with security chiefs from the police, army and the Department of State Services (DSS), and sued for peace.

He assured that government would do its utmost to safeguard lives and properties in the areas and warned against further attacks.

The Commissioner of Police, Mr. Donald Awunah, has since deployed a standby force to the areas and vowed that no stone would be left unturned in prosecuting those arrested and the guilty ones punished.

Based on the fragile peace in the area, the natives have suggested that to effectively put paid to the frequent skirmishes, government should take over the disputed area.

“I think the proper thing to do is for government to seize the land and use it for development projects that would create jobs for the youth, who are already engrossed in the war to protect their communities,” Okon Akpan, one of the local vigilantes told Sunday Tribune.

Also, Mrs. Margaret Usen, a human rights advocate, asked government to station security operatives on the disputed land to avoid further bloodshed.