By Paulinus Nta, A’IBOM
The Inua Eyet Ikot Community In Ibeno local government area of Akwa Ibom state has been deserted after a midnight attack last weekend in which property worth millions of naira was destroyed by suspected hoodlums from their neighbouring local government area.
The small oil and gas-rich Inua Eyet Ikot community in Ibeno hosts the ExxonMobil Mobil qua be terminal facility and also has BUA’s petrol chemical factory under construction in their domain.
Conducting Journalists around the damaged schools, clinics and people’s homes on Sunday, the village council chairman, Chief Nta Edyang, lamented that the damaged buildings, farms and other facilities were valued at over 100 million naira.
According to him, ” A couple of days ago of days, we were woken up to the invasion from our Esit Eket neighbours at midnight with massive attacks on our farms, clinic, schools and people’s homes which were all brought down to rubbles.
” The Invaders came at midnight well armed, and people fled to the bushes, from where they heard them using sledge hammers and other destructive equipment to destroy properties we laboured to build to foundation level.
” The sole reason for the latest attack is not unconnected with the ongoing petrochemical factory project which is being built in our community by BUA group. The hoodlums claimed our village was their land and even hosted a Flag after the destruction, written:” Ibeno beware, we won’t tolerate your conspiracy with the state government to take our land”.
He further revealed, “We have reported the matter to the State Police Commissioner, who visited the area in the company of other security agencies to see the level of damage and appealed to us to remain calm while the investigation is ongoing.
Also, speaking to Journalists after the tour of the affected area, the paramount ruler of the Ibeno local government area, Owong Effiong Archianga, traced the genesis of the serial attacks in Ibeno Communities to the enormous natural resources deposited by God in their domain.
According to the paramount ruler, ” Ibeno is blessed with oil and gas, the entire state is enjoying our wealth, we need peace to coexist and will not tolerate further aggression from our neighbours.
” All the areas they are laying claim to belong to us; if the attack persists, we will defend ourselves; we are warriors and Apollo people. I have appealed to Ibeno youths to remain calm. I am appealing to Elders, council chairmen of our neighbouring council areas, to call their youths to order”.
The Paramount ruler appealed to the state government to intervene and bring succour to the destroyed community and others earlier burnt down to assuage their feelings and encourage the healing process”.
“The government should replace the damaged property and help the displaced people recover from the shock of the atrocities. The government must not allow the repeat of what happened, more security should be deployed to Ibeno Communities to protect lives and property while the hoodlums must be apprehended to face the full weight of the law”.
Reporters also gathered that the state government in conjunction with security agencies have visited the affected area for further investigations and that the chairman of Ibeno local government area Mrs Glory Ekah Effiong and her Esit Eket counterpart., Mrs Uduak Ikemesit Ikott are working round the clock to ensure that permanent Peace reign between the two neighboring councils.
Obong Dennis Bassey Esenem, the village head of the Mkpanak community in Ibeno, who expressed hope that the crisis will be permanently resolved, acknowledged the determination of both Council Chairmen to restore peace to the area.
