Two casualties have been recorded, while several other sons of Ikom have been injured in the ongoing communal crisis between Alesi in Ikom, and Ochon in Obubra Local Government Areas of Cross River State.
As at midnight, it was confirmed that the soldiers who were mobilised to the disputed area engaged youths in the area in a gun battle and left them with two dead persons and grievous degrees of injuries.
An eyewitness who spoke on a condition of anonymity said the soldiers who forcefully attempted to break into the roadblocks mounted by the angry youths at Alesi junction in the Ikom axis of the disputed communities, were resisted by the youths and the soldiers fired live bullets at them.
“The whole issue started long ago, the Ochon and Alesi crisis has lasted for years, but the present crisis just started when on hearing that some people from Ochon since January have been going into people’s farms, some of the farms belong to the Alesi people and they harvest their farm produce; they will harvest their yams, cocoyam, plantain steal their farm produce and make away with them, so, is like the people were tired.
“That was the cause of the fight. So when the Alesi people tried resisting such activities, the youths began to hunt Alesi people who are drivers to kill them and burn their vehicles, by this time we were already fighting. So they blocked the Ikom-Calabar Federal highway from the Obubra axis, and Alesi youths did the same from the border between Ikom and Obubra
“It was the soldiers that were sent from the Edor Barracks by the Brigade Commander, to come and calm the situation, when the soldiers came, the youths were peaceful, but when they attempted dispersing them from the roadblocks, the angry youths resisted the soldiers, at that point, the soldiers started shooting sporadically and killed two persons instantly while several others were injured,” the eyewitness explained.
As at yesterday morning, it was gathered that some houses have been set ablaze while there are rumours that natives from both communities are in high preparations for a war between the two communities.
Earlier, the Chief Press Secretary to Ikom Local Government, Mr Christian Nfam confirmed that the crisis was ongoing, but the council was yet to make an official statement to address the issue publicly.
The crisis was still ongoing as at the time of this report, while two of the victims have been deposited at the mortuary, others are receiving emergency medical attention at the General Hospital, Ikom, Cross River State.
(Nigerian Tribune)
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