Okuni Women Protest Chinese Incursion, Passes Vote Of No Confidence On Community Lawyer
By Missang AKPET
Women from Effi community in Olulumo village in the early hours of Saturday took the streets in peaceful protest against the incursion of Chinese nationals in the community.
The women, who wore all black and carrying placards bearing various inscriptions against the Chinese company, lamented the destruction of their forests by the Chinese and their collaborators.
Recall that Effi community for months now have been at loggerheads with an unknown company carrying out wood processing in their community and enslaving the natives.
Recall that THE BEAGLE NEWS had reported in August that the youths of Effi had barricaded the company over issues ranging from certification, identity, operational permit and community agreement.
The women displayed various various placards asking the Chinese company to vacate the community, accusing them of depleting their natural resources while also seeking to know their identify as well as contents of the agreement entered with the community.
They however also demanded that the power of attorney allegedly given to Barrister Ichire Okim, who serves as the community lawyer, be revoked just as they pass a vote of no confidence on him as a legal representative of the community.
A youth leader, who spoke off record for fear of being haunted, told THE BEAGLE NEWS that the Cross River State House of Assembly investigation committee has allegedly been compromised by the Chinese Firm, wondering why the lawmakers are protective of the Chinese nationals against all odds.
According to the Youth leader, "it is worrisome that the House of Assembly has remained taciturn in this matter, an indication that they have been compromised.
"We will not compromise our natural inheritance over peanuts. We will fight this matter to the end. We have vowed that the illegal Chinese people must go. We want our forest back. Nobody will stand in our way this time. We call on Governor Bassey Otu to intervene."
