Stop the communal clashes in Cross River

It’s painfully regrettable that a particular section of the country would routinely be in the news for killings arising from communal and boundary disputes. It is worrisome that deaths from violent clashes have since become the norm in parts of Cross River State. In a recent report, for example, seven people, mainly young people, were reportedly killed on Monday, September 11, 2023, following a boundary dispute between Ijiegu-Yache community of Yala Local Government Area (LGA) of Cross River State and Mbaaka community of Konshisha LGA of Benue State. While 10 people have so far been killed since the clash started, no fewer than fifteen houses were set ablaze in the violence between the youths from both communities. Ten people, including women from both sides were also injured.

Sources said the conflict arose when some Ijiegu-Yache youths enquired from the Tiv settlers why they refused to pay royalties for settling on their land. The Tiv people, it was reported, seized and beat one of the Ijiegu-Yache youths, which led to his death. This consequently triggered a reprisal. Meanwhile, the deputy governors from both states were said to have earlier met in the community where they appealed for peace. This dispute, which has lasted for years, has claimed many lives and property. But aside from the dispute of Cross River State with Benue, Utuma and Ukwa respectively located in Biase and Odukpani LGAs of Cross River State also a lingering border crisis with Isu community in Arochukwu LGA of Abia State.

For decades, many communities in Cross River State have been engaged in communal wars over land. Records show that the inter-communal clashes within Cross River are more and worse than the border crises the state experiences with other states. In April 2022, more than 15 persons were killed and over 3,000 were rendered homeless in the renewed communal clash between border communities of Alesi and Ochon in Cross River State. In July 2019, bloody clashes in a boundary dispute in Odukpani LGA left over fifty people dead, with ten communities levelled to the ground and more than 3,000 people displaced. The clashes over land have become so intense for a long time in Cross River that, at the beginning of every planting season, families relocate their children to urban areas for fear of violence.

The incessant outbreaks of violence in parts of Cross River State have in addition to claiming hundreds of lives with property worth millions of naira destroyed in the process, also turned thousands of natives into refugees in their own communities. For instance, natives of Ikot Offiong community of Odukpani LGA were dislodged from their ancestral home by their Itu brothers in Akwa Ibom in 1999 and have since remained refugees till date.

In a land tussle in 2006, Ebijakar community was sacked by their Ebom brothers. Onyadama and Inyima communities have been at war since April 2016. Obubra and Owakande villages have for long been in conflict over the true ownership of ‘Crown Land.’ Other communities affected by communal clashes in Cross River State over the years, include Odukpani Qua, New Netim, Agwagune, Erei, Adim, Ugep, Mkpani, Nko, Ediba, Usumutong, Ebom, Ebijakara, Afafanyi, Adun and Okum group of villages, Okosora, Ikom, Alesi, Ekukunela and Ochon and Nsadop. The eight-year administration of Governor Ben Ayade recorded huge carnage in Abi, Yakurr, Yala and Obubra communities.

These wanton killings are counter-productive, and therefore, condemnable in the strongest of terms. As is typical of the Nigerian society, most communities have a long history of inter-marriages; a phenomenon that makes neighbours or people from other clans or communities a part of one’s flesh and blood. Regardless of how far the other person or people have gone wrong; no individual is permitted to take laws into his hands to the extent of taking the life of others. It is criminal and inhuman to kill for the sake of land ownership or anything at all.

Community, traditional and religious leaders are urged to keep talking to their people and followers; advising them to always seek redress from the appropriate authorities, the courts. We encourage the National Boundary Commission (NBC) to collaborate with states and LG authorities to resolve all boundary disputes. Non-governmental organisations (NGOs) are implored to partner with the traditional institutions in the affected communities on peace-building efforts with a view to reconciling warring factions. The attention, particularly of youths, should be drawn to the need for peaceful coexistence within their communities and with their neighbours.

Whereas few people die in nuclear-powered nations, it is most disturbing that with our underdeveloped technology, we lose more lives more frequently in Nigeria to violent clashes that could have been avoided. There is no reason for us to continue in this senseless way. There would be little time left for development when communities spend the whole of their lifetime fighting. Daily Trust appeals to the warring communities to give peace a chance as they live with their neighbours within and outside of their state in order to face the ever-increasing challenges of developing their communities. Cross River needs peace to develop.