The Chairman of Ini Local Government Area in Akwa Ibom State, Mr Israel Idaisin has sent a Save Our Soul message to the federal government to intervene in the protracted Nkari boundary crisis.
Idaisin, who said members of the communities now move about with weapons, explained that the age-long attack on the people of Nkari Community by their Usaka Uko Community neighbours in Ikwuano LGA of Abia State has forced the people to resort to self-help.
In an interview with our correspondent in Uyo, the chairman lamented that even women and children from Nkari Community now go to the farm with either short or long riffles.
He said if the situation was not nipped in the bud, it would breed a future generation of bandits.
He said: “The daily crisis we have in Ini Local Government Area is the Nkari crisis. The people there, including women and children, now go about with weapons to protect themselves. Everyone, there is either with a long or short rifle to protect themselves from the Ikwuano people.
“The people of Ikwuano in Abia State usually stay in the bush, using guerrilla warfare approach to ambush, shoot and kill our people.
“That is why we are appealing to the federal government to take over the disputed land or do proper demarcation to forestall further loss of lives. Thousands of people have over the years lost their lives to this same crisis”.
The LG chairman suggested that the Akwa Ibom and Abia State Governments should come together to facilitate the demarcation of the boundary between the communities.
He advocated the rehabilitation of members of the affected communities whom he said have become wild and untamed.
“Their way of life is no longer normal. If something drastic is not done to arrest the situation and rehabilitate the people, we may be breeding a generation of future bandits and the government may not be able to penetrate that area if something is not done fast,” he said.
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