Shell Creek Crisis: Ibibio Gives SSG, Mbo Paramount Ruler, Ors 7-Day Ultimatum To Quit Uyo … As Eteidung Ebong Pleads For Calm


By UbongAbasi Ise

As killings continue to go unabated at Shell Creek, a town on the Nigeria-Cameroun border, surviving settlers of the troubled area that are of Uyo and Uruan extraction, have ordered Oro indigenes residing in Uyo metropolis to leave within seven days as they may likely avenge the death of their kinsmen allegedly brought about by Asanwana militants from Mbo local government area.
Speaking with our correspondent yesterday, Chief Edet Bassey, an Ibibio leader at Shell Creek, said since all calls put to the state government for intervention falls on deaf ears, they are likely to take laws into their hands as they would do everything to ensure that Oro people, including the Secretary to the State Government, Mr. Emmanuel Ekuwem,  and  Mbo Paramount Ruler, Ovong Edet Okon Isemin, leave Uyo since their Oro kinsmen have decided to make their lives unbearable in a former Nigerian community that is now part of Cameroun.

Chief Bassey claimed that over 100 lives have been lost in a two-week old crisis, while several others have been injured and are receiving treatment at BIR Soldiers Hospital in Abana at the instance of the Camerounian government.
The militants are reportedly attacking the residents of the community on grounds that the settlers have been paying levies to the Camerounian government instead of Mbo which purportedly owns the place.
Also speaking with our correspondent, Eteidung Edem Ebong, the Village head of Ifa Ikot Akpan in Uyo local government area, bemoaned the sad situation at Asanwana where over 100 of his people engaging in their legitimate business were murdered  and many of them had their homes and properties worth millions of naira destroyed in one fell swoop.
Eteidung Ebong call on the state government to intervene in this crisis to prevent it escalating to the tribal clash.
Meanwhile the office of the Deputy Governor, in a statement signed by its Chief Press Secretary, Ekikere Umoh, has dispelled the allegations that “the killings and wanton acts of arson and destruction of property of Akwa Ibom indigenes living at the Shell Creek in Cameroun was carried out by Cameroonian authorities.”
But the statement has acknowledged that the attack was masterminded and executed by a local militia operating in the Shell Creek area by the name Asanwana, and purportedly backed by a local chieftain.
The statement further has it that discreet investigations that have been corroborated by affected returnees, indicates the killings and burning of Akwa Ibom indigenes property at the Idiaabatu fishing settlement in Cameroun was the result of the heightening of a prolonged feud between two indigenous groups.
According to press release, the Deputy Governor, Mr. Moses Ekpo has requested the Chairman of Uyo and Uruan local government areas whose indigenes form the bulk of the victims to reach out to the affected persons and furnish the office with appropriate information on the matter.


©The Sensor Newspaper

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