Tension has gripped communities in Cross River State following the killing of five persons in farm settlements located in Camps Two and Four, straddling Akpabuyo and Akamkpa Local Government Areas. The violent clashes, reportedly sparked by disputes over rate collection and land ownership, have forced residents to flee their homes in fear.
The two settlements, Camp Two and Camp Four, sit near the boundary between Akpabuyo and Akamkpa LGAs and are within close proximity to the giant cement factory in Mtamosing town, next to Akansoko community, a major limestone and farming hub. The fertile land and commercial value of the area have long made it a flashpoint for communal and ownership conflicts.
Local sources confirmed that five persons were killed in the renewed violence, though their identities have not been released. In response, residents have begun forming vigilante groups to trace and apprehend the perpetrators.
According to an eyewitness, Etebom Effiong, 62, one of the survivors who narrowly escaped the attacks, the unrest was triggered by disagreements between rival groups over land boundaries and revenue collection from local farmers. “There’s been tension and fear for life. People are fleeing because armed gangs are moving from house to house, hunting for those suspected of being involved in the killings,” Effiong told The Trumpet.
A trader, Madam Angelina, who travels from Calabar twice weekly to buy farm produce, said such violence has become recurrent in the settlements. She recalled that similar attacks last year prompted security forces to take control of the area. “It’s becoming a cycle. We can’t continue living in fear. The government needs to establish permanent security posts there,” she pleaded.
When contacted, the Deputy Police Public Relations Officer in Cross River State, Igri Ewa, confirmed that the police had received reports of the killings and that investigations were ongoing.
The growing insecurity around the Mtamosing–Akansoko axis has raised concerns among residents and investors, with many calling for urgent intervention from the state government to prevent further loss of lives and restore peace to the troubled settlements.
