A’Ibom community seeks FG intervention over killing

Etim Ekpimah

The indigenes of Nkari community in Ini Local Government Area of Akwa Ibom State have cried out over the incessant killings of their people on a land dispute between the Usaka-Ukwu, Ariam community in Ikwano Local Government Area of Abia State.
The community, which shares a boundary with Abia State, has suffered setbacks following unabated killings of Nkari indigenes by the Abia community over lingering the land dispute.
An indigene of Ibono Okporo village, who is also the President of Nkari Development Union, Lagos Branch, Pastor Emmanuel Bassey Effiong , told our correspondent on Saturday that the continued attacks and killings of Nkari indigenes are accentuated by government’s apathy to entrench a last solution.
According to him, more than 20 Nkari indigenes and visitors who access the area through the only link road have been killed by the Usaka people.
The Clan Head of Nkari , Chief Udoette Edon, said that in May 28, 2020 Usaka indigenes came into their village and cut down palm fronts and some economic trees in one of the houses erected decades ago and claimed that the land belonged to them.
He added that the matter had been reported to the police in Ini Local Government without corresponding move to halt the attacks.
Edon noted that that within the same period, the Usaka indigenes invaded the village and shot and killed six Nkari indigenes and injured scores, adding that the matter was also reported to the police.
He explained that Usaka indigenes ambushed Nkari residents, who returning from market between August 20 and 21, 2020, killed many and took their corpses away.
“The matter was reported to the police of Ini Local Government Area of Akwa Ibom State, who also visited the area and confirmed the incident.
“We have been living peacefully with all our neighbouring villages except for Usaka village even though we try as much as we can to live in peace with all our neighbours.
“To confirm our friendship and good neighbourliness, coupled with inter-marriage relationship, our young men used to engage in wrestling competition with all our neighbours including the Usaka.
“Precisely, in 1967 when the Civil War broke out, little did we know that our neighbours, Usaka were nursing prejudice and insatiable behavour to grasp our land.
“When the Civil War advanced towards the present Ini Local Government Area in 1967, the people of Usaka seized the opportunity they have been waiting for and massacred our people with intent to eliminating them and claim all that parcel of land situated at Ibono Okporo, known and described as Iso Mbiam Abiekpo, Ibok, Omuma, Ikot Nwong, and Nsiak itiat, which is our God-given inheritance from our forefathers.
“At the end of the war, those who survived later returned from exile to their God-given land to the dismay of our neighbnors Usaka,” he narrated.
According to the clan head, before the war, Nkari had a service road that led to their farmland, but the Usaka indigenes erected a bunker and planted grasses on top unknown to the people of Nkari.
He stated that it was at this point that most of Nkari people were killed as none of the Nigerian troops were at the area.
He said: “The bunker is still in existence up to date. The service road is so bad that Usaka people use that as an avenue to trap and kill any Nkari indigenes and visitors that apply the road.
“From all indication, the remote cause of incessant encroachment/trespass to our land by Usaka in Ikwano Local Government Area of Abia State is adduced to prejudice, insatiable behaviour.
“It was confirmed that the bodies of those indigenes of Nkari killed by the Usaka people are yet to be recovered due to the tension in the disputed area and this has given the people of the area a great concern.
“The worst of it all is that Usaka people had blocked the only access road and indigenes of Nkari and visitors find it difficult to come into the village or go out.”
The clan head also expressed concern over the killings and appealed to the State Government of Akwa Ibom State to urgently wade into the matter to avoid more carnage.
Edon, however, called on government to provide them with road, electricity, other social amenities as well as a police station at the disputed land.

The Police Public Relations Officer in Akawa Ibom State, CSP, N-Nudam Fredrick, said the issue between Nkari and Usaka has been an age-long one.
According to him, the police have been doing their utmost to halt the attacks, adding that the police from both sides – Abia and Akwa Ibom are working harmoniously towards arresting the ugly situation.
He noted that the Police Force as a responsible organisation cannot fold its arms and see the dispute degenerate into destruction of lives and property without taking concrete actions to curb the unrest.
“The Nigeria Police Force as a very responsibility security organisation whose duty is the security of lives and property will not fold its arms to see the dispute of this nature without ensuring that their corporate responsibility is performed.
“In fact, as I speak, we have a good number of conventional policemen, who have been deployed to the area; riot policemen, and those working under cover and officers. There is an understanding between the police in Ukwano in Abia State those in Akwa Ibom.
“They have been working there, patrolling that area in conjunction with the army, 105 battalion. Normalcy has been restored to that area as I speak.
“Well, we cannot rule out the possibility that some people may embark on guerrilla warfare.
“But our men are on ground and normalcy has been restored,” he said.
The Abia police spokesman, Geoffrey Ogbonna, said that the deputy governor of Akwa Ibom State and that of Abia had met on different occasions concerning the attacks.
He also confirmed that the police from both sides have been doing their utmost to ensure peace and stability of the two communities.
He said: “I know that the deputy governor of this state and the deputy of Akwa Ibom State might have met over this issue several times.
“The police from both sides are not folding their arms. I will advise you to get more responsible people from that area to get the truth, especially as it has been said that the police from both sides and the Federal Government are not doing anything to stop the killing.
“Speak with those, who are more reliable there. I believe they will tell you the true position of all that had happened, whether they are those killing Abia people or Abia people are the ones killing them.
“They should be able to tell you because I know they have been on this matter for some time.”