No fewer than three persons have been reportedly killed while four others were abducted in a renewed clash between the people of Usaka Uko in Ikwuano local government area of Abia state and those of Nkari in Ini local government area of Akwa Ibom state.
It was gathered that the renewed clash occurred in the early hours of Friday, 22 January, 2021 when some youth suspected to come from Usaka Uko allegedly ambushed indigenes of Nkari, shot them and carted away their motorcycles.
Recall that similar incident occurred in August 2020 where about 11 persons were allegedly killed and scores injured in both camps.
One of the elders in Nkari, Major Tony Isenyeng (rtd) told members of the Civil Liberties Organisation led by its chairman, Franklyn Isong, who visited the deserted community that the community has become helpless over the continuous blood-letting occasioned by the crisis.
He called on the National Boundary Commission to hasten up in giving a clear demarcation of the boundary, adding that security should be permanently mounted on the area to forestall further crisis.
Narrating the incident, a former councillor in Nkari Ward 4, Hon. Benjamin Christopher Akpan said, “Last Friday which was our market day, our attackers laid ambush and killed our people. They killed my younger brother, even the other of my relative with her husband, we found their corpses this morning. I’m sure they both went to the early market.
“Four persons who were said to have passed the road could not be found as I’m speaking with you now. May be they were abducted because we have not seen them. The issue is beyond our community. How can we be living in perpetual fear in our father’s land?
Also, the member representing Ini state constituency, Hon. Emmanuel Bassey, who is also the Chief Whip, described the crisis as guerilla warfare, saying the attacking youth would lay ambush and shoot anyone who crosses the road. He called for full security presence in the area even as the federal government was expected to mandate NBC to urgently do the demarcation of the boundary.
When contacted through hone, Akwa Ibom state Police Public Relations Officer, SP Odiko Macdon, confirmed the crisis, saying normalcy had returned to the area through the efforts of the Police Commissioners of Abia and Akwa Ibom states.
