Ikot Akpan Udo crisis: A-Ibom govt intervenes at last

UYO—AKWA Ibom State Deputy Governor, Obong Nsima Ekere, Thursday, set up two committees, the Peace and Reconciliation Committee, headed by Chief Effiong Eneyo, a member of the State Boundary Committee, and a Boundary Delineation Committee, led by Surveyor Okokon Essien, the State Surveyor-General, to resolve the crisis arising from the boundary clash that led to the killing of 13 citizens of Ikot Akpan Udo and destruction of the community in Ikot Abasi Local Government Area of the state by the Amazaba Andonis of Eastern Obolo Local Government Area in August 2008.

The deputy governor, who announced this at a meeting of Ikot Akpan Udo community leaders and their Amazaba counterparts with the state boundary committee at Government House, Uyo, named other members of the Peace and Reconciliation Committee to include the Member representing Ikot Abasi/Eastern Obolo/Mkpat Enin Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives, Dr. Akpan Micah Umoh; the Member representing Ikot Abasi/Eastern Obolo in the State House of Assembly, Mr. Aboh Uduyok, the Transition Committee Chairmen and Paramount Rulers of the two local government areas, the State Commissioner of Police or his representative, the Director of State Security Service or his representative, the Divisional Police Officers of the two local government areas, and the Bishop of the Methodist Church of Ikot Abasi, Rt. Rev. John Koko-Bassey.

The Divisional Police Officers of the two local government areas, the Clan Head of Ukpum Ete in Ikot Abasi, and the Chairman of the Amazaba Council of Chiefs, are to work with the State Surveyor-General in the Boundary Delineation Committee.

The deputy governor also directed the State Commissioner of Police to establish a centrally-located Police formation, with the assistance of the chairmen of the two local government areas, to replace the existing Police unit in Ikot Akpan Udo.

He asked the Peace and Reconciliation Committee, which has a time frame of one month, to liaise with the elders and chiefs of the two communities to work out a lasting peace between them while the Boundary Delineation Committee was mandated to determine and delineate the exact boundary between the two communities.

Mr. Ekere explained that the State Boundary Committee decided to take urgent measures for peace pending the release of the government white paper on the report of the Commission of Enquiry into the conflict which, according to him, was delayed by the inability of the commission to submit its report to government.

Community gives conditions for peace with Andonis
Meanwhile, the Ikot Akpan Udo Community yesterday, denied media reports that it had accepted peace overtures from the Amazaba Andonis of Eastern Obolo Local Government Area.

The community said it would continue to reject any politically induced peace that would enable the Amazaba Andonis who killed 13 of her citizens and burnt their homestead to live on Ikot Akpan Udo  land.

Rising from its expanded meeting at Ete Town in Ikot Abasi LGA, where some of the displaced citizens are camped, the community in a statement signed by its acting Village Head, Chief Oscar Abel, commended the state government for finally seeking avenues to resolve the crisis after four years.

The statement noted, however, that Ikot Akpan Udo citizens would accept the peace offer only on the condition that the Amazaba Andonis are relocated from Ikot Akpan Udo mainland to Otunene and Ememen which lie opposite their kith and kin at Emereoke islands.

The community said that any boundary delineation between Ikot Abasi and Eastern Obolo local government areas which is not based on the Akpan Udo River which rises at Ikot Ekpang in Mkpat Enin LGA of the state and empties into the Atlantic Ocean would never be acceptable to the people.