The communal clash between the people of Ukele in Yala local
government area of Cross River and Izzi in Ebonyi State has reportedly
claimed over 20 lives.
The Community Relations Officer to the Governor of Cross River,
Mr Vincent Egbe alleged that the clash started on Friday when some Izzi
residents invaded the venue of a peace meeting convened by the
Divisional Police Officer for the Area and his Ebonyi State counterpart
to find a peaceful resolution of the matter.
“We were already in
the meeting venue waiting for the arrival of the DPOs from Yala and Izzi
Local Government Areas when some youths invaded the venue of the
meeting and shot into the crowd and wounded many people,” he alleged.
He said the Ukele youths mobilised and managed to repel the
attackers and it was in the ensuing battle that the villages of Nkaleke
and Nduabonyi were hit and many people also lost their lives.
“They
are the aggressors and all our people have been trying to do is to find
a peaceful resolution to the conflict yet they keep launching attacks
on us,” he said.
A resident in the area, Patrick Ege, said that
perennial land conflict started on Wednesday following a gun attack on
an Ukele villager.
He alleged that the shooting occurred at Ijibolo village when
the villagers were returning from a meeting on Wednesday evening,
leaving many people with gun wounds.
“There was a serious attack
on my village, Ijibolo when the Izzi people waylaid villagers who were
returning from a meeting and many people sustained gunshot wounds,” he
stated.
He said a woman was shot on Monday while she was in the
farm and was in a critical state at the Lutheran Hospital Yahe where she
was rushed to for medical attention.
Hon. Jarigbe Agom, the
member representing Ogoja/Yala Federal Constituency said there should be
increased security presence in the area to forestall further loss of
lives in the area.
When DAILY POST contacted the Commissioner of
Police, Mr Mohammed Inuwa Hafiz on phone on Monday, he said “As far as I
am concerned, I will only talk of what my men on ground told me.
“First
of all, this problem started around Thursday when a woman from Cross
River was shot on the leg by suspected Izzi people, that was what
infuriated the Cross Riverians to go for reprisal.
“When they went
for reprisal, we quickly moved in because the people from Ebonyi too
were ready for showdown, but our prompt intervention that day saved the
situation, otherwise by now, you could have been hearing of so many
casualties.”
“I appeal to the deceased family and Cross Riverians
to calm frayed nerves; the traditional rulers and other stakeholders in
the area should not escalate the situation by making sure that they
partake in the peace process. Proliferation of small arms and light
weapons are not going to do anybody any good.
“Politicians and
stakeholders should stop fanning the embers of enmity within Ebonyi and
people of Cross River State; they have been living for years, so they
should explore way of resolving conflict rather than bringing more
problems,” he stated.
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