By Nse-Abasi Odiong
WARNING: disturbing pictures. Viewers discretion adviced.
It was a horrific sight to behold as corpses of children, women and men (young and old) were recovered from the river, along Oku-Iboku water ways yesterday.
The dead bodies of the armless and innocent Oku-Iboku and Ayadehe people were brought to the shore after being brutally murdered by Ikot Offiong and Odukpani Militia groups of Cross River State, who for months now, have been launching attacks at the peace loving communities of Oku Iboku and Ayadehe in Itu LGA of Akwa Ibom State.
This is not unconnected with the resurgence of Akwa Ibom, Cross Rivers States boundary dispute which was settled by past government of, Obong Victor Attah and Mr. Donald Duke.
An eye witness and indigene of the area Mr. Godslove Nkereuwem, recounted what transpired when he said that, ‘‘ the people of Oku-Iboku were going about their normal business in their community when the assailants arrived in 5 engine propelled boats and open fire sporadically on the defenseless people, attempting to force their way through into the shore of the Oku Iboku.
But for three gallant youths of the area who rose to the occasion and fought back the attackers, when the assailants were overpowered by the gallant youths, they fled.
However, they returned their frustration on the armless, innocent farmers, fishers, women and children who they met along the water ways, killing over 20.
In his reaction to the attacks, the chairman of Oku Iboku clan council, Hon. Peter Emah lamented that the community have made several appeals to the government to come to its aid by sending more security personnel and relief materials to the affected communities.
‘‘We are peace loving communities who have contributed to the economic growth of the State through our farm produce and sea foods.
Whatever affects us should be paramount to the government at this time, especially with the current economic drive by His Excellency, the governor of Akwa Ibom State, Mr. Udom Gabriel Emmanuel.
He is a listening governor, someone interested in the economic growth and welfare of the citizens of Akwa Ibom State. We believe that he will come to our aid as quick as possible’’.
For some of us who may not know about Ikot Offiong and Oku-Iboku Communal crisis, this war is an age long crisis between Ikot Offiong in Odukpani LGA of Cross River State and Oku- Iboku in Itu LGA of Akwa Ibom State. Oku Iboku is a boundary community in Itu LGA, which shares boundary with Odukpani L.G.A in Cross Rivers State.
Oku Iboku is the host community to the famous defunct Nigerian NewsPrint manufacturing company limited (NNMC), popularly called (paper mill).The major occupation of the people of the area is farming and fishing along their rich water ways.
Ikot Offiong on the other hand are said to be migrants from some parts of southern Cross River State, who came to settle in OduKpani L.G.A, at the part directly boarding with Oku people.
However, since the Ikot Offiong people are themselves also fishers and farmers, their contacts sparked off greed on their part.
They started by becoming interested in the choice parcel of lands where Oku-Iboku people make greater yield along the water ways.
Effort to dislodge the owners of the land being the Oku-Iboku people has been the main bone of contention for ages.
It should be recalled that in the year 2000, the hostility between the two communities in the sister States of Akwa Ibom State and Cross Rivers got worse that it took the intervention of the then Governors of the two states to achieve a truce that lasted for about 16 years until December, 2016, when Ikot Offiong Militia became the first to cast a stone.
On that faithful day they invaded Oku-Iboku again killing farmers and fishers and carted away their properties, including farm boats etc.
Since December 2016, where the crisis resurfaced many Oku indigenes have lost their lives and properties worth millions of naira destroyed.
However it is important to note that the Oku-Iboku people are not cowards, but have decided as a peace loving people to toe the line of peace, expecting that government will intervene promptly to bring an end to the renewed madness by these militias.
The worrisome part of the new fight is that the original indigenes of Odukpani have joined the settler, Ikot Offiong people to fight Oku-Iboku and Ayadehe Communities.
They are doing this to attempt to win over some parts of Akwa Ibom State Land into Odukpani of Cross River State.
It is note worthy that the militia group are parading sophisticated weapons with which the terrorize Oku-Iboku/Ayadehe people along the water ways.
If the government is set to protect the people of the area, it is important to bring in marine security patrol to protect the people as they go about their normal business in the trouble areas.
Relieve materials should also be made available to these communities to reduce suffering brought about by this terrorist groups.
By this acts, the government both state and federal would have recognized that the level of killings in this area is similar to what is happening in the North-Eastern parts of Nigerian even though it has not been given the same level of prominence until now.
The truth is : people are dying here daily!
May God give them eternal peace.
No comments: