No fewer than four persons were feared dead and over 10 houses burnt in a renewed communal clash between the Esit Urua village and Mkpanang in Eket and Ibeno Local Government Areas of Akwa Ibom State.
The clash, Saturday Independent gathered started when bulldozers were seen clearing the disputed area of the boundary between the two villages.
It was alleged that the site clearing was done at the instance of Mr. Okpolupum Etteh, a member representing Ibeno in the state House of Assembly for the establishment of a police station.
An eyewitness told our correspondent that some youths from Esit Urua on sighting the bulldozers on the disputed land, had moved in to inquire why the land was cleared but this was met with stiff reaction by youths from Mkpanak village who were alleged to have prepared for war.
It was gathered that as the fight erupted, more youths from Mkpanak village were mobilized to attack the Esit Urua village resulting in four death and eight houses being burnt with others seriously injured while many fled the community to nearby Eket town.
When our correspondent visited the area, it was observed that all movements to and from Ibeno where the ExxonMobil operational office is located have been stalled leading to a zero commercial activities in the area.
Besides, more than five trucks of soldiers from the 6 Amphibious Battalion, Ibagwa in addition to the Joint Military Task Force codenamed Operation Thunder, have taken over the two warring communities and all adjoining roads to Mobil operational base.
It was gathered that a similar clash had occurred in 1993 where several houses were burnt and over 150 persons were allegedly killed leading to the Federal Government setting up of Justice Akpata Panel of Inquiry to look into the immediate and remote causes of the crisis.
We were reliably informed by a source who pleaded anonymity that though, the panel had submitted its report, it is unfortunate that almost 10 years after, the White Paper has not been released by the federal government.
The youth leader of Esit Urua village, Mr. Michael Bassey, while confirming the number of lives lost and houses burnt lamented that the situation could have been averted if the Ibeno people did not provoke the Esit Urua people to fight.
The Paramount Ruler of Eket, His Royal Majesty, Obong Nathaniel Oduenyie, while speaking with My Nigeria Today called on the warring villages to sheath their swords and urged all to remain calm.
The Police Public Relations Officer, Akwa Ibom State Command, ASP Etim Dickson, who confirmed the incident when contacted also said that the situation has been brought under control.
A stakeholder meeting of the warring villages which was convened at the instance of the Divisional Crime Officer (DCO) in the area was in progress at the time of filing this report.
Efforts to speak with the paramount ruler of Ibeno, HRM Effiong Achianga, was futile as he was said to be attending the stakeholder meeting.
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