It was as a result of
a boundary dispute between the Oku Iboku people in Itu Local Government
Area of Akwa Ibom and the Ikot Offiong in Odukpani LGA of Cross
River. The fighting began on Friday 10th, February 2017, and it happens in the middle of the night light and heavy weapons used by both communities. The heavy fighting held up travelers along the Calabar-Itu Highway for
hours on Saturday, February 11 and was only eased when the Army arrived
to drive the fighting youths away.
Not fewer than 20 people was reported in a clash between. Our newsmen reports that the clash was caused by a boundary dispute
between people of Oku Iboku in Itu Local Government Area of Akwa Ibom
and those of Ikot Offiong in Odukpani LGA in Cross River.
The report quotes
an unconfirmed source as saying that over 20 people were left dead at
the end of the fight. Most of those killed were from Ikot Offiong
after Oku Iboku youths ambushed them in the attack and chased them to
the neigbouring Odukpani community.
Travelers were on hold for hours along the Calabar-Itu Highway, February 11 until the arrival of soldiers, who drove the
fighting youths away to make way for smooth movement of motorists and
commuters.
An unnamed source said that the clash, which is the third in the area since December 2016 may have been sponsored. On
their part, the people of Ikot-Offiong community in Odukpani Local
Government Area of Cross River State have written a letter to the Chief
of Army Staff Lieutenant-Gen. Tukur Buratai and the Inspector General of
Police Ibrahim Idris to investigate the activities of the soldiers and
policemen posted to the area to foster peace.
Our newsmen reports that in a ‘Save Our Soul’ letter signed by Chief Etim
Bassey-Offiong on behalf of his people and published by Southern City
News wants Buratai and Idris to investigate the activities of personnel
deployed in the Itu end of the bridge closer to Ibawa Police Division in
Akwa Ibom State.
The letter read in part: “The people
of Oku-Iboku on January 16, 2017, crossed the bridge and attacked our
people with dangerous weapons, killing some of us. On January 19, the
Oku Iboku people caught one Bassey Ekpo from Eteheten village, who was
returning from Port-Harcourt and killed him at Ayadeghe Bridge in the
presence of the soldiers.
“On
Saturday, February 11, 2017, the Oku-Iboku people with the aid of
soldiers crossed the Calabar-Itu Bridge to Cross River to attack our
people. Consequent upon the renewed hostility by the Oku-Iboku people,
the Nigerian Army and the police have deployed their operatives to the
warring area to protect the people and prevent the attack.”
But spokesman of the Nigerian Army, 13
Brigade in Calabar Capt. Kayode Owolabi denied the allegations and said that the Army were 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 the ground. Our aim is to restore peace and not to take side
with any community,” Owolabi said.
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