Chaos in Cross River: Life lost, two severely wounded

A communal clash in Cross River state has led to the death of one person

The clash is said to be between New Netim town and Odukpani Qua town in Odukpani LGA

Two have been reportedly injured in the course of the chaos

Over 20 houses have been burnt down and several cars were razed in New Netim when armed youths from Odukpani Qua invaded their neighbours in morning of Monday, September 19.

It was gathered that the house of the father of the governor’s chief scribe, Christian Ita, Ntufam Raphael Okpa Ita, New Netim village Head, was also torched and he had to flee for his life.

“On Monday at about 1am, the people of Odukpani Qua Town invaded New Netim. They hired cultists and invaded the village yesterday. They left about 20 houses razed. They burnt several cars also. One boy has been killed. Two others were shot but are alive.

The origin of the problem is land. There is a dispute over ownership of land and the thing went to court and New Netim won in court. So the Odukpani Qua people are not happy. This is the second time in about ten months. They did something like this in December.

“On the 24th of August this year, New Netim Council wrote to security chiefs alerting them to credible information they had that there was plan to attack them. The security chiefs called the two communities together and of course the Odukpani Qua people denied that there was such a plan. But look at what has happened now,”an indigene of New Netim said

Commenting on the development, state security adviser, Mr Jude Ngaji, said: “It started at about 1am to 1.30am and immediately we got the call, we deployed security men there, but before the men got there, the havoc had already been committed.

The Army and Operation Scolombo, responded immediately, led by the assistant commissioner of police, operations, himself.

“For now the area is calm as security agents have been deployed to the area. We are asking everybody to go about their normal duties, as the police and army have taken over the place in terms of security.

“Make no mistake that all the people involved in what happened yesterday would be arrested because it was premeditated thing. People hide under land issues to commit crimes and perpetuate all kinds of criminality. We would get to the root of it and all the arrowheads of this mayhem would be brought to justice.”

In the same vein, 8 people are feared to have been killed in renewed clashes between communities in Cross River and Ebonyi states.

Premium Times reports that the conflict occurred between Ochienyim community in Amagu, Ikwo local government area of Ebonyi state and Adadama community in Abi local government area of Cross River state.

According to residents, five of those allegedly killed were from Adadama community, while three others are from Amagu village.

Several people are also said to have been injured in the violent clashes. Speaking on condition of anonymity, Amagu Ikwo community leader said that some women from Ochienyim went to harvest cassava in their farms when they were attacked by unknown persons suspected to be from Adadama.

The source said that the attackers tried to abduct some of the women but were resisted by the youths who accompanied them.