Inter-Communal conflict is reportedly raging between the communities of Obubra Local Government Area in Cross River State and their Izzi–Ikwo neighbours of Ebonyi State with many people feared dead and several houses razed.
This is even as some stakeholders in the nation’s security sector have expressed disappointment over the seeming lack of commitment by both Governor Ben Ayade of Cross River State and his Ebonyi State counterpart, David Umahi to put an end to lingering crises among communities in respective their domains
“It is worrying that both Chief Executives seem lukewarm and have failed to demonstrate the required tenacity in exploiting all available options, including being from the same Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) family, to address the festering conflict”, one of the stakeholders, who refused to have his name on print, said.
Reports from the area claimed that three villages, Ogamala, Ofonekum, Idoro 1 and 2 have already been razed and many people rendered homeless following an attack by Izzi combatants on Wednesday and Thursday.
But the Public Relations Officer of the Cross River Police Command, Ms Irene Ugbo, said the Command has not receive any report that such conflict is on-going in the area.
According to her; “Our commissioner visited the area on Tuesday and we have not received a report of any violence in the area.”
“Let me make a phone call and get back to you”, Ugbo told Vanguard in a telephone interview.
However, a resident of the area, David Erom, told Vanguard through the telephone that; “As I speak, all Cross River villages across the Obubra River have been razed down and many people have been killed with our property, including houses, farms and domestic animals destroyed.”
Erom, said he was speaking from his hideout in the bush, alleging that the Ebonyi communities were claiming ownership of the land in Ofonekum Idoro and Ofon Idah across the river.
He further claimed that the attackers are asking the Cross River people to vacate what he described as their ancestral land.
“We have been living here for several decades and many generations of our people have always known this place as their home but the recent claim by the Izzi people is strange
“I cannot ascertain the number of those killed since I am in hiding but so many of our people were caught unawares and have fallen to the attack,” David said.
According to him, there is a regiment of soldiers from Nkwegu Barracks stationed in the boundary between the Izzi and Obubra communities, yet the conflict is raging unabated. – Additional reports from Vanguard
