Men in military camouflages invade C/River community, kill 5, rape women

Armed men dressed in military uniform are reported to have invaded the Mbiaong Ukwa Community in Odukpani LGA of Cross River State, killing five elderly people, and destroying houses.

Witnesses claim the armed invaders who came from the distant Isu community in Ihechiowa Local Government Area of Abia State allegedly kidnapped a number of young men who resisted them.

But police authorities in the state said they were not aware of the attack.

Irene Ugbo, PPRO, said, “We are not aware of such an attack. It has not been reported to us. The first place they ought to have reported is the nearest Divisional Police Officer. As of yesterday night, we didn’t get this information. But let me cross-check. I will revert…”

A community leader of Ukwa Ibom-Efik Eburutu, Chief Okon Odiong Ekpenyong Esu who signed a statement released to journalists in Calabar on Sunday said yesterday’s invasion was not the first time, disclosing that the invaders often come to mine the limestone in their community and to grab their land.

“Several of our people have been killed. So many are from Mbiabong. Mostly, the aged and children who could not run have been killed, while others have been kidnapped.

“The continuous aggression, wanton destruction of properties and killing of Mbiabong Ukwa people by the Isu Community in Abia State with the help of men in Military Uniform over the years, is one that has gone on without checks and help also seems not to be coming from anywhere to the helpless Mbiabong Ukwa people.

“They are strongly supported by the wealthy Isu leaders and other persons from Abia State in order to take over the rich limestone embedded in Mbiabong land by God.

“We don’t have a known common boundary with the Isu Community like the invaders, Isu would want people to believe. The constant killing and invasion of the Mbiabong Ukwa community to destroy properties is disguised in communal land conflict. It is a deliberate territorial land grabbing orchestrated by certain rich and wealthy people in Abia State and targeted at the limestone and other mineral resources in Mbiabong Ukwa land.

“The Saturday 11th of May, 2024 destruction of Mbiabong Ukwa by Isu Community which also saw the killing of Mr Ediong Ediong Essien and his wife, Madam Ekpitu Ediong Essien, another young boy Asuquo Ndem and many others kidnapped was made very possible because Mbiabong Ukwa in particular and the entire Ukwa Eburutu Community, in general, do not have motorable roads that people can use faster mobility to run, and no electricity for the people to charge their phones and call for help.”

According to the statement, “The masterminds of the invasion of our community are interested in the rich mineral resources of Ukwa Eburutu land. The attacks and killings have become unbearable.

“We call for help from both the Federal and Cross River State governments to avoid our total elimination by our neighbouring Igbo communities.”

According to him, the Isu people would come to Mbiabong Ukwa with arms to fish in their ponds and farm in their lands at intervals without their consent.

In a reaction, the Chairman of the National Youth Council of Nigeria, NYCN, in the LGA, Williams Bassey in a statement, condemned the attack, calling for swift government intervention.