Communal Clash Claims 700 Lives in Cross River in 4 Years, Says NGO

By UKOREBI ESIEN

ross River state has always prided itself as the most peaceful state in the country. This tag attracted investors and tourists alike to the State, but today, this has gradually become a debatable subject as there is hardly any local government in the state without one form of communal crisis or the other. In fact, 15 out of 18 local government areas are engulfed in communal crisis.

According to available data from Partnership Initiative in the Niger Delta, (PIND) conflict 's tracker, inter-communal conflicts over land ownership and boundary disputes caused over 700 fatalities in Cross River state between January 2018 and December 2021. Between January 2022 to date, hundreds of lives have been lost due to communal war-related incidents in the state.

Statistics from State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA) showed that 16 of the 18 local government areas in the state, including Odukpani, Akamkpa, Biase, Yakurr, Abi, Obubra, Ikom, Etung, Boki, Obudu, Obanliku, Yala and Bekwarra, have had a taste of communal wars leading to loss of lives.

Recently, communal tensions escalated following renewed inter-communal clashes over land disputes, particularly between Ovonom and Ofatura in Obubra LGA, and other parts of the state. In February 2022, for instance, a bishop and his son were reportedly killed and several houses destroyed during a communal clash over a lingering land dispute between Urugbam and Abanwan communities in Biase. In fact, the Urugbam and Abanwan crisis is part of an enlarged Communal clash that has engulfed the entire Erei nation in Biase local government area. The Erei nation is made up of over 10 communities and they are all at war with each other over disputed claims of ownership of a palm estate.

Not long ago, specifically on March 7, 2022, two persons were reportedly killed, many others injured, several and properties destroyed during clash over a land between Alesi in Ikom and Ochon in Obubra.

Again, in June 2022, scores were feared dead in a renewed crisis between Nko community in Yakurr and Oyadama in Obubra. To make matter worst, soldiers sent by government to quell the fight were reported to ransacked Nko community on allegation of killing of a soldier by the community. 

Communal conflicts over land and boundary disputes in Cross River state remains recurrent with periodic lethal violence. 15 out of the 18 local government areas in are involved in one form of Communal violence or the other.

In these local government areas, there are either active or hibernating communal violence amongst communities and villages. In Abi, the entire Bahumono nation made up of about 8 communities are submerged in a crisis that have lasted over 14 years. It was only in 2021 that what seems like peace returned to the area. This was after several attempts failed to yield result. But one is not too sure how long the current peace will last as the displaced Ebijakara are still aggrieved.

The other part of Abi is also not left out in the communal dispute galore as Adadama had their own fair share with Amagu community in Ikwo local government area of Ebonyi state. Also, Adadama, Igbo Amabana, Igbo Ekureku and Afagara all have either an existing communal crisis or are trying to resolve one.

Obubra local government area has been adjudged to have the highest number of crises in the state. In January 2017 Iyamitet and Ababene communities were engulfed in a brutal war that led to the death of several loss of lives and properties and over 500 persons were displaced.

In 2017, Iyamitet and Adun communities were engulf in a renewed community crisis

leaving two dead and properties worth millions of naira destroyed. The crisis, which was not the first between the sister communities started when a Pastor of Uzana ministry, a native of Iyamitet was allegedly killed alongside his wife while returning from church. Their corpses were later found at the boundary between Iyamitet and Adun community. Angered by the death of the duo, it was gathered that Iyamitet people teamed up with the neighbouring Iyamoyong community to carry out revenge.

In 2014, Onyadama in Obubra and Inyima in Yakurr fought themselves to a standstill. In 2018 there was also a repost of renewed clash that led to an economic standstill with many feared dead while properties and houses were burnt and destroyed.

In 2013, the same Onyadama people of Obubra engaged in another land dispute with Nko community in Yakurr. This over 90 years renewed crisis led to the mass destruction of properties leaving several persons dead.

Between 2013 to date, the following communities in Obubra and Ikom local government area, have either had multiple clashes or just one attack that have not been permanently resolved: Ochon community in Obubra and Alesi in Ikom; Apiapum community and Izzi in Ebonyi state, Ofonama community in Obubra, and Azuofia-Edda community of Abakaliki, Ebonyi state, Ogwurude, Ofonama, Okinbogha, Ogamana, Ovurokponu, Okpechi, Ofenagama, Eja, and Ijutum communities in Obubra, have all fought their Ebonyi neighbours, Isobo community and Ofonekpa Inyimagu in Ebonyi state said to have begun in 1984.

In Yakurr local government area, aside Nko and Inyima, who have been having unending communal battles with Oyadama and other communities in Obubra, there have been several recorded clashes both long aged and renewed cases.

These crises include but not limited to Nko and Ugep which has since laid to rest, Ugep and Idomi rumoured to have begun since 1928, Ugep and Mkpani, Ugep and Ekori, Agoi Ibami and Agoi Ekpo, Agoi Ibami and Mkpani, Nko and Agoi Ekpo, Asiga and Inyima, Asiga and Ekori. Other Inter local government crisis include Ugep and Adim and Ugep and Annong in neighbouring Biase LGA.

In the northern district of Cross River state, almost all the local government areas have recorded one form of communal clashes or the other. For instance, Obudu has Kutia and Okworotung communities fighting as well as perennial boundary wars between the Obudu people and their Tiv neighbors in Benue State, with Bekwarra coming the least with only the 1995 war with their Ishibori neighbours.

In 2018 Ukele community of Yala had a renewed clash with the Izzi people of Ebonyi. Sources said the dispute was caused by land struggle.

In 2020, residents of Yabu and Ijegwu communities in Yala deserted their villages over renewed communal clashes. News sources reported that the conflict was over a parcel of land between the two communities, which has been in dispute and ended in exchange of gunshots and machete cuts, leaving several lands and properties destroyed.

Same year, Barr Joe Agi a one-time governorship candidate in Cross River State who is also the Ojegbaje 1 of Yala made an attempt to settle the communal conflict between Yabu and Ogoho-Ijegu communities in Yala. Information are not clear as to whether the move was successful, but one thing is certain many of the communal crisis in Cross River seems to have been settled after farming season. But will resurface in the next planting season.

It was also gathered that the Kutia and Okworotong communities and Wanehin and Wanakade in Obudu, and Yala of Obudu LGAs, respectively, were not left out in the carnage just as land tussle between Ebom-Ebijakara in Abi LGA has led to total annihilation of Ebijakara community. Presently, the three villages of Ebijakara in Abi, Urugbam and Abanwan in Biase have become wastelands.

In all these, successive governments since 1999, seem to have lacked the political will to address these issues headlong. Whenever clashes occurred in any community, Government will be quick to deploy security operatives like the army or police to the affected areas. At most the community leaders will be arrested, detained and released afterwards.

Way out as Otu-led administration takes over

The office of the deputy governor, which is saddled with the responsibility of boundary demarcation, should without further delay be empowered to embark on proper boundary delineation across the state. This will help reduce the level of boundary disputes amongst communities.

Committees deployed to inquire into communal disputes should include Peace and Conflict experts especially mediators who understand the Cross River State terrain. Examples of these experts are members of Partners for Peace in the Niger and Members of Institute of Chartered Mediators and Conciliators of Nigeria.

A special Agency for Peace Building and Conflict Resolution/Management should be set up to manage all the existing disputes, in a bid to minimize, if not completely eradicate the menace. One of their responsibility should be information gathering through setting up of conflict monitors as desk officers in the local government councils.

The traditional institution (Paramount Rulers, Clan heads, Village heads, community chiefs, and traditional leaders) should be trained on Peace Building, Conflict Resolution/Management.