THISDAY

Renewed Attacks between A'Ibom, C'River

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One person has reportedly been killed few days after the Federal Government initiated moves to end the protracted boundary dispute between the people of O ku I bo ku in Itu Local Government area of A kw a Ibo mandt he Ikot Off iong people in Cross River States. The killing in the area of one If iok It aEk po from Idu Uruan after the federal government meeting with state government­s and leaders of both states was revealed at a press briefing jointly held in U yo, A kw aI b om State capital by the elders of Itu,Ib io no Ibo man dU ran local government areas of the State. A spokespers­on for the elders, Dr. Ekong Dem son fr owned at the attack on the A kw aI bomfi sherm en by the people of Ikot Off iong community just two days after the federal government through the National Boundary Commission (NBC) started peace talk with the two states. Dr. Dem son seriously warned that the renewed hostility might frustrate further peace negotiatio­n between the A kw a I bo man dC ross River States if the perpetrato­rs of the latest killing in the area were not prosecuted. According to him, the people of the boundary local government areas of Itu,Ib io no Ib om and Uran could be forced to resort to self-help and to defend themselves if the attacks on their settlement­s continue. His words: “It is surprising and unbelievab­le that barely two days after the parley, the people of Ikot Off iong and hired mercenarie­s from Cross River state armed with sophistica­ted weapons attacked defenseles­s fishermen along the river in Itu, killing one Ifiok Ita Ekpo from Idu Uruan and seized several boats and fishing nets.”

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