Stop the ongoing reprehensible killings of over 150 people in Nkari

By Emmanuel Ufon

Nkari community in Ini Local Government Area, Akwa Ibom State, has become a hotspot for violence and bloodshed. The longstanding conflict between Ubet Okom group of villages and Mbente village has escalated, leading to the tragic loss of over 150 lives since 2011.

The conflict, rooted in a land dispute, has intensified in recent months. Innocent civilians, including the elderly and youth, have fallen victim to the violence. The situation has deteriorated to a point where basic human rights, such as access to education, healthcare, and freedom of movement, are being severely compromised.

The community in recent times has been plunged into a state of fear and uncertainty. Residents live in constant fear of attacks, and many have been forced to flee their homes. The once peaceful community is now scarred by violence and mistrust.

Hon. Clement Jimbo Representin Abak, Etim Ekpo, Ika Federal Constituency

Tracing the origin of this age long intra communal war to the struggle for a large expense of landed property estimated at almost 10 hectares which is an hub for massive rice and cocoa plantation which became pronounced with the advent of the then Cross River Basin Development Authority.

News of killings, fights, intra communal attacks and counter attacks in the community in recent times give cause for concern. It is reprehensible, despicable, condemnable for a community in a state named after God and governed by a Man of God.

As a Journalist by Profession, I am duty-bound to draw the public and government attention to what affects my people to engender community development, it is quite disheartening that over 150 Akwa Ibomites and still counting have so far been killed in the community despite the huge presence of high profile personalities in the area who could have put up modalities for this conflict management and resolution but yet substantive measures have not been made to stop the ongoing killings, rather than fueling the crisis, kudos to Hon. Clement Jimbo, the member representing Abak/Etim Ekpo/Ika Federal Constituency at the National Assembly for coming a distance far to join us in crying our cry at the floor of the National Assembly on the issue as matter of urgent public importance to seek federal government intervention.

Hon. Emmanuel Ukpong-udo Representing Ikono-Ini Federal Constituency.

These atrocious acts which underscore the growing spate of insecurity in the area erupted on 17th October, 2011 when two unsuspecting persons from Mbente village, Late Emmanuel Nkereuwem Bassey and Late Usen Jonah Ukwoudo, in retrospective where abducted at a place in Nkari Community called Barracks Junction and were eventually killed in cold blood, the act sparked an outrage leading to outbreak of intra-communal war till date.

Many aged people were caught up in the fight and lost their lives including the late Johnson Inuaeyen (Nkuku) houses were burnt down, refugees situation ensued and the people scampered for safety in the neighborhood. Six youths leaders of the area were as well brutally killed including the three brothers of Lady (Apostle) Helen Ukpabio from Mbente village, Charles, Joseph and Emmanuel Akpabio, Late Solomon Michael Udoette together with one from Ibono Okporo Village - Late Monday Joseph and one from Ibono Usuk, Late Okon Ndakaesit.

Between the month of January and March 2024 reports of more disagreement, violent encounter between Youth of Ubet Okom group of villages and Mbente erupted from exploitation of palm fruits and thefts at the same disputed land.

On 6th April, 2024 there came the news of the eventual outbreak of hostility between youths of Mbente community and Ubet Okom with many injured as Late Destiny Okon Udoh and the Youth President of Mbente Village Late Aniedi Okon Inuaeyen were killed followed by the killing of Late Linus Okon Akpan of Mbente Village at Barracks Junction.

Three visitors from Ibiono local government area in keke vehicle on their way to Mbente were reportedly waylaid killed by youths of Ibono Okporo and Ubet Okom mounting dangerous roadblocks buried without their corpse released on the 8th November, 2024 during the burial occasion of a prominent business man and Clergy, Pastor Okon Iseh Effiong who was buried at his village, Mbente, Nkari community. A source disclosed that the reason for the killing was that they were hired from Ibiono for diabolic invocation at Mbente community against Ubet Okom, yet to be verified for such an unjustifiable claims which does not worth the life of people.

On Tuesday, 17th September, 2024 a day after the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP campaign inauguration day, Mr. Ime Ekpenyong Inuaeyen a junior brother to the Late Political Leader of Ini Local Government Area and Chancellor of the then budding Socio-Political organization, Ibom Patriots, Late Obong Bassey Inuaeyen was killed and beheaded at Mbente village in Nkari Community. In all these killings, the Ini Divisional Police Force and Area Command, Ikot Ekpene as well as Executive Chairman of Ini LGA are fully aware and have witnessed the corps.

Nkari community center, Barracks Junction at Ikot Offrong village has become a dangerous hunting and killing ground against Mbente people as well as the road blocks mounted at Ibono Okporo Village by the combine youths of Ibono Okporo and Ubet Okom, currently well armed men are well paid by well to do influential men in this state to lay ambush, mount road blocks and ensure that people from a certain community do not come out from their community.

From a leaked audio call which God wanted to exposed the perpetrator ( listen to the leaked audio attached here) certainly well placed individual are sponsoring the crisis as can be perceived through a Man's (name withhold) interaction with the Sister inlaw who mistakenly place an hold on a record which he as well mistakenly drop on one of the community WhatsApp chat room inciting that Mbente community should be completely burnt down, resulting from this plots, the killings has intensify, the State Security Service (SSS, DSS) should as duty call demands investigate this audio call source.

On the heel of this killings and course of my ongoing investigation which I will soon release the full episodes in no distance time on pages of newspapers - from my underground check and moreover source, I have come to the realization that top personalities in Nkari clan are allegedly sponsoring the fight which has led to the killings.

I have been threatened during the course of my investigation that I may end up being killed if I dare release this report, I have challenged them back - that ours is a union of over eight hundred members in the state and millions in the country which an injury to one is an injury to all, no one will ever intimate me in the discharge of my legitimate duty with objectivity and go Scot-free.

Little will one wonder how those poor community based farmers will have the financial muscles to pay and sustain gorilla war warriors hired from our neighboring communities (name withhold) notoriously known for war fighting. for many months they have been well positioned and sustain in different conners of Nkari community for the ongoing lingering crisis between Ubet Okom group of villages consisting of Ikot Offrong, Ikot Akpan, Ubienkene, Ikot Uko, Ibono Okporo versus on community known in my federal constituency as Mbente village.

The ongoing renewed intra communal crisis between Ubet Okom group of villages versus Mbente village in Nkari has distorted growth and developmental projects in the area, government intervention is urgently needed to resolved the age long crisis which was dated back since 2011, currently students are no longer attending schools in the area, sick and pregnant women find it difficult to go out for treatment, some communities are blocked by their superior from buying food items from the only weekly market in the area, because of the lingering crisis.

The 5KM Nkari/Mbiabong road project handled by an indigenous firm, AYF and the Model School Projects awarded to the area has recently been disrupted as workers have fled the community.

Mbente people are now blocked from buying food items from the only community market, children are being prevented from attending schools, sick ones and pregnant women are denied access to receiving medical attention, Mbente people are endangered species fought by seven villages in Nkari clan. It's high time government intervene to save lives, the perpetrators igniting this conflict should be fished out.

To finally nib in the bud the reoccurrence of this crisis government should as a matter of public urgent important should seize the landed property for government in order to achieve a sustainable peace in the area.

It is imperative that the government and relevant authorities take immediate steps to address this crisis through mediation and dialogue. Facilitate a peaceful dialogue between the warring factions to resolve their differences.

Security reinforcement, personnel should be deploy to the area to protect lives and property.

Conduct a thorough security investigation into the killings and bring the perpetrators to justice. Humanitarian assistance should be provided to displaced persons and those affected by the violence.

Community Development: Implement long-term development projects to address the root causes of the conflict and promote reconciliation.

I urge the government - the National Assembly Member Representing Ikono/Ini Federal Constituency, Mr. Emmanuel Ukpong-udo together with the Member Representing Ini State Constituency, Mr. Lawrence Udoide should present this at the floor of the Assembly as matter of urgent public importance, just like what our brother, Hon. Clement Jimbo from a far away federal constituency has done.

To save lives of our people, the international community should pay attention to this crisis and take decisive action to restore peace and stability to Nkari.

By working together, we can help bring an end to the violence and create a future of hope for the people of Nkari.

Emmanuel Ufon, President, Ikono-Ini Media Professionals, writes from the Federal Constituency.