Communal Clash, Imoke Visits Nsadop Community

CALABAR, Oct 25, (THEWILL) - Cross River State Governor, Senator Liyel Imoke on Sunday led a high powered delegation of top government functionaries including his Deputy, Mr. Efiok Cobham, Nigerian Ambassador to Mali, Chief Sunny Abang and some members of the State Executive Council as well as service commanders to sympathize with the people of Nsadop Community in Boki Local Government Area following the invasion of the area by some unidentified armed youths on Saturday morning leading to the wanton destruction of lives and property worth millions of naira.

THEWILL gathered that about 30 persons were killed during the attack.

The Chairman of Boki Local Government Area, Mrs. Bessie Bankon Obi who disclosed that about 95 percent of the community was ravaged by youths suspected to have come from Boje community as a result of land dispute, called on the relevant government agencies responsible for disaster management to urgently come to the aid of the community by providing relief materials to bring succour to the affected people.

Also speaking, a member of the State House of Assembly representing Boki I State Constituency, Chief Jake Otu Enya, called on the state government to examine the immediate and remote cause of the communal crisis between the two communities of Nsadop and Boje with the view to finding lasting solution to the problem and encourage peaceful co-existence; while charging community leaders to be more proactive in their day to day dealings with the people.

Narrating their ordeal, one of the victims, Sir Michael Pius who disclosed that his wife and six children were missing since the incident erupted on Saturday, lamented the laxity on the part of security operatives in the area, which he noted does not live up to expectation.

He called on the state government to immediately start the rebuilding process of Nsadop to give them a sense of belonging. Security agents have since been drafted to the area as directed by Governor Imoke to forestall further destruction of lives and property.