C/River Akwa Ibom boundary clash: Community wants end to crisis

The Cross River and Akwa Ibom State governments have been urged to wade into the protracted boundary dispute  between the people of Oku Iboku in Akwa Ibom State and Ikot Offiong in Cross River State which had claimed so many lives and property.

Natives of Ikot Offiong in Odukpani local government area who gave the charge stressed that there was need for government of both states come to a round table with a view to ending the menace.

This is even as they called on the Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lt.-Gen Tukur Buratai and the Inspector General of Police, Mr Ibrahim Idris to investigate activities of personnel posted to the area to foster peace.

The call, which was contained in a release made available to newsmen in Calabar at the weekend and signed by Mr Etim Bassey-Offiong, said urgent steps should be taken to nip the long drawn boundary clash between the two communities in the bud.

The communities of Ikot offiong in Odukpani, Cross River,and  Oku Iboku in Akwa Ibom have been engaged in fratricidal war for over a decade, leading to killings of innocent people and destruction of property worth hundreds of thousands of naira.

Hostilities broke out again as natives Oku Iboku allegedly crossed the bridge and attacked Ikot Offiong community on January 16, 2017 with dangerous weapons, killing over 20 persons.

The Oku Iboku community had accused the soldiers posted to the Akwa Ibom bridge end of complicity in the killing of one Bassey Ekpo from Eteheten village, at Ayadeghe Bridge.

The late Bassey was said to be returning from Port Harcourt when he was allegedly hacked down on January 19, 2017 before the soldiers.

They also alleged that the Oku Iboku people with the aid of soldiers crossed the Calabar –Itu Bridge to Cross River to attack their  people  on Saturday February 11, 2017.

In view of this, the community said: “We call on the Cross River and Akwa Ibom governments to wade into the matter with a view to finding lasting solution to the perennial bloody clashes between the two communities.

“We also want the Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lt.-Gen Tukur Buratai and the Inspector General of Police, Mr Ibrahim Idris to investigate activities of personnel deployed to the Itu end of the bridge closer to Ibawa police Division in Akwa Ibom.

“In spite of the presence of the security operatives at the Itu end of the bridge in Akwa Ibom, the people of Oku Iboku are always allowed to cross and attack us.

“Some of the operatives at the Itu end of the bridge head have recently turned their weapons against our innocent people by shooting at us indiscriminately in our settlement at Iso Esuk and Ufak-Afin near the bridge head of Cross River.”

They also called on the National Emergency Management Agency to assist them with relief materials to alleviate their sufferings.

Reacting, the 13 Brigade Public Relations Officer, Capt. Kayode Owolabi, said: “The army was fully on ground to curb any occurrence of crisis between both communities. As I speak with you now, we just left the dispute area where our men are solidly on ground. Our aim is to restore peace and not to take side with any community.’’