There is a fresh threat in Amazaba Community in Eastern Obolo council area as their neighbours Ikot Akpan Udo in Ikot Abasi council area of Akwa Ibom state have scuttled ongoing moves by the state government to resolve the 14-year old communal crisis in the area.
The Trumpet gathered that Amazaba community has alleged that its representatives and security agents were attacked by armed youths from Ikot Akpan Udo village during the visit for the White Paper Implementation Committee on Tuesday, August 16, 2022.
It said the attack by its neighbours was a serious threat to peace efforts aimed at bringing a lasting solution to the crisis and resettling them back in their ancestral homes after deserting the area for the last 14 years.
Recall that Amazaba community and Ikot Akpan Udo village were engaged in a bloody boundary dispute in 2008.
Consequently, the state government ordered that residents should vacate their communities to forestall further bloodletting and anarchy.
But the administration of Governor Udom Emmanuel recently re-instituted moves towards brokering a lasting peace between the warring communities to ensure that they return to their ancestral homes.
However, in a statement issued on Wednesday and signed by the Chairman Amazaba Council of Chiefs, Chief Gugonte Nglass and the Chairman Amazaba Community Development Council, Elder Aaron Bibama, the Amazaba community alleged that Ikot Akpan Udo village was frustrating the peace efforts.
“The State Government White Paper Implementation Committee issued an invitation letter to meet with both communities at their town hall separately on Tuesday 16 August 2022 by 11 am and 2 pm respectively. The statement government delegation was at Ikot Akpan Udo village by 11 am for the interactive meeting.
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“The people of Amazaba were led by the executive chairman of Eastern Obolo, Abraham Odion, the Paramount ruler, HRM Obong Harry Etetor and some men of the Nigeria Police Force.
He said on their way to Ayama village in Amazaba community, the venue of the meeting, they met with armed youths from Ikot Akpan Udo in hundreds coming to cause mayhem.
The Chairman added that Amazaba council chiefs said security men intervened and asked the local government chairman and others in the entourage to reverse their vehicles and return to Okoroette, the headquarters of Eastern Obolo, where the state government delegation came to meet with the Amazaba people for the interest of peace.
He observed that the essence of the meeting scheduled by the White Paper Implementation Committee was for the needs assessment of government infrastructures affected by the civil disturbance of 2008.
“The Amazaba people not been happy with the development views Ikot Akpan Udo’s actions as a threat to peace. Nobody has the monopoly of violence and we vow that any further threat, attack and harassment will be vehemently resisted with full force”. He said
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