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BY BASSEY OKOKON
6th May, 2018.
The people of Ikot offiong community in Odukpani local government and Oku Iboku people from Itu local government area of Akwa Ibom State have clashed again. This renewed armed conflict which it adverse consequences has inflicted serious damages on individual lives and property as well as threaten the corporate existence of others neighbouring communities including Ubambat Okoyong, Ikoneto, usung ESUK, Akpatre Efa, Ikot Akpan, Okurikang, Akpap Okoyong in Odukpani.
Unfortunately, the people living nearby Ikot offiong do not have Police protection so there is need for a more robust action to be done. At the look of things, there appears to be no end in sight to this phase of perennial communal crisis since they have been at war over boundary.
The clan head of Oku Iboku, Ubong Essien Okokon who spoke shortly at his palace, lamented that his people has suffered untold hardship following the recent crisis on the 16th December, 2017, adding that the Ikot offiong people have resumed another attack where so many people especially farmers and fishermen who went in search of their mean of livelihood were just murdered for nothing while some sustained gun and machete cut and escaped to the village.
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The attack it was gathered that took place within the western flank of Cross River bank of the river, the waterway that serve as boundary between the two sister states.
The conflict exacerbated in recent times following alleged presence of forest Oil deposits along the Anyadegha and Okposong rivers which Ikot offiong people believes is on its side of the boundary.
Responding, Chief Stephen Nya, an elder in Ikot offiong said that the crisis is driven by the quest of Oku Iboku people to own Okposong rivers because they want the forest reserve located on that stretch along with the Oil deposits, adding that the renewed crisis keep off as a result of the demand by Oku Iboku people that Ikot offiong people should pay them royalty before fishing in the river that serve as a boundary between the two sister states.
Oku Iboku people, he claimed, first launched attack on them three weeks ago and they were repelled and that since they would not let peace be, they returned penultimate on Saturday, 5th May.
Speaking, Cross River State Police public relation Officer, Iren ugbo maintained that the security men have been put in place to carry out thorough investigation and safety of the people in the affected areas.
At the process of gathering this report, all efforts prove abortive while contacting the member of Cross River State House of Assembly, representing Odukpani state constituency, Hon Bassey Akiba who is the co-chairman in the committee of the two house of Assembly, Akwa Ibom and Cross River State House of Assembly which responsibility is to investigate the root of the communal crisis between the two states as well as bringing lasting solution to the crisis.
NOTICE!!!
All hands must be on desk to put an end to this crisis as a source reveal that “if Oku Iboku people overpowered the Ikot Offiong people other communities like Okurikang, Ikoneto, Akpatre Efa, usung Esuk, Isong inyang, and other part of ubambat Okoyong may be set ablaze by Oku Iboku. The time to act is now.
I am just, Bassey Okokon
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