IWUKPOM- YORUBA inhabitants, mainly fishermen, residing at Mkpanak and Iwukpom villages in Ibeno Local Government Area, Akwa-Ibom State, have escaped from their homes in both towns, following a clash between Yoruba and Mkpanak youths, generating uneasy tension.

One person was reportedly killed, several others either maimed or missing and property worth millions of naira destroyed in the violent clash.

However, head of Iwuokpom, one of the affected Ibeno villages, Obong Okon Sunday Atabop, told NDV that nobody chased away Ilaje-Yoruba residents from the community, saying the people would sit down with them at a round-table to resolve the misunderstanding when they return.

To avert escalation of the crisis, the chairman of Ibeno Local Government Council, High Chief Henry Mkpa, on April 21, imposed a 7.00 pm to 6.00 am curfew on the local government area.

They shot arbitrarily, burnt my boats, fishing nets – Mr. Ayo


On what caused the fight, one of the fleeing fishermen, a father of seven children, Mr. Ayo, said: “The only thing I can say is that it was around 2.00 am, I heard noise outside my house. Before I knew what was happening, they (boys) entered my house, took all my money and other things. So everybody ran and scattered.

“I live in Jacob Street, Ibeno and I have lived in Ibeno for more than six years but l have not seen a thing like this happen before. Sometimes, we have misunderstanding with the natives, but within seconds, we settle. Other tribes are living there too and when this started, everybody ran away.

“Those people were shooting indiscriminately. If the police and soldiers had not come, maybe they would have killed everybody. It was not a small thing, they burnt all my boats, and my fishing nets. We are standing here because we don’t have anywhere to stay.

We arrived in this place (temporary refugee location) since yesterday (last Wednesday) and we were more than this number you are seeing here today. Some people have gone to find houses to stay in town.”

My son, Taye missing

“Some people have died, many are missing. As we are talking, one of my sons, Taye, is missing. I do not know where to look for him. I am planning to see if I can find a soldier that I will join to the Terminal (Mkpanak area) to search for him. I cannot go there alone. There are many streets there, when those doing bad things see security agents, they will go to another street to make trouble. Most of us here are local fishermen in Ibeno,” he said.

I and my children are starving – Mrs. Solomon

Also, Mrs. Taiwo Solomon residing at Apostolic Road, Ibeno, testified that on Tuesday night when she peeped through her window, she saw people running and boats in flames, she was afraid and held her six children together.

“We were hiding in the house when we were told to move and lock our door, that if those people making trouble come inside the house, we will be killed. So we left Ibeno about 12.00 pm on Wednesday. We are stranded here, we do not have anywhere else to go. We have not even eaten since that yesterday. We managed to buy water and snacks for the children, ” she lamented.

Nobody pursued them—Obong Atabop, Iwuokpom village head

Reacting, the Village Head of Iwuokpom in Ibeno, Obong Okon Sunday Atabop, said: “I went to church, because we (Brotherhood) are having Pentecost this period and I came back home around 11.00pm. On the way, I saw broken bottles everywhere. When I got  home, I saw Yoruba boys, they were many. I told them to go home  that I did not want to see anybody causing problem here at Iwuokpom, but they refused to go.

“When the boys from my village heard about this and came out, I asked them to go home and they did. But as I prepared to go to sleep at about 2.00 am, I saw some Yoruba boys, they started rioting, and there were shootings. I was afraid, so I used my phone and called the paramount ruler and the Divisional Police Officer, DPO. The police team came and dispersed them. But before police came, they had already destroyed things, burnt things and they even broke the glass of my house as you can see.

“When the police arrived, I came out from my house and police told me to go inside because they were still rioting. It was not a small fight. Some of them (Ilajes) are living here with us, just as some are living with our people in other villages. Also before the police came, I called their leader, Chief J-J to tell his people to disperse, but the man said he had warned them but they refused to listen to him,” he said.

Responding to claims that many people died, the village head said:  “Nobody died except that young man that was stabbed to death with something and they brought the corpse down here. He was living here. We saw the corpse, it has been deposited in the hospital at Upenekang. So if anybody tells you many people died, let them bring their corpses for us to see.

“And immediately this thing happened, many of them used their boats to run away.  Nobody drove anybody away, we are all Nigerians. And if they come back, we will sit down at a round table and give them the condition that they should agree to live in peace with us, and to be law abiding.

Police boss visits, cautions combatants

Akwa Ibom State Police Command in a statement by Police Public Relations Officer, PPRO, Mr. Odiko MacDon, said proactive steps have been put in place to ensure law and order in the affected areas, assuring members of the public that those behind the dastardly act would be brought to book.

The Commissioner of Police, Akwa Ibom State, Andrew Amiengheme, had on receipt of the information, deployed men from Ibeno Division and Tactical Teams from the State Headquarters to the affected areas, and was able to successfully restore law and order.

MacDon who said the commissioner was pained by the loss of one life and the wanton destruction of property, in company of the village head of Mkpanak, Chief Dennis Bassey,  addressed stakeholders and youths of the area during his visit to the areas.

“The commissioner also met with residents from Ilaje where he had a similar interface with them before proceeding to meet with the paramount ruler of Ibeno, HRH Owong Effiong Archianga. He assured the monarch and leaders of continued security presence and the maintenance of law and order in Ibeno,” he added.

Ibeno paramount ruler issues traditional injunction

Paramount Ruler of Ibeno Local Government Area, HRM Effiong Bassey Archianga, in a statement on April 21, appealing to the governor, Udom Emmanuel, to wade into the crisis, revealed he had placed traditional injunction calling for peace.

“I hereby appeal to the Executive Governor of Akwa Ibom State to wade into this matter, to resolve this conflict, give a meaningful and permanent solution that will let peace reign in lbeno land.

“In my capacity as the paramount ruler of Ibeno, I hereby place a traditional injunction and sue for peace. Both parties should sheathe their swords. Any person or group of persons who violate the traditional order should bear the consequences,” the monarch said.

matrixme:
And that Stupiid Udom wants to be president? Right under his nose, an ethnic cleansing is going on in the beaches of Akwa Ibom and he's hoping to campaign as a national leader that will unite Nigerians soon. Tufiakwa!
Meanwhile, the beef between Yoruba and Akwa Ibom has been a prolonged underground issue since. They are always jealous of the fact that many Yoruba people are expatriates in the oil industry and they respond with open hostility everytime. We don't want to talk about how they offed Adeboye's son, because of no other reason.
There is a silent cold war going on in the country right now. Akwa Ibom Ayaya my foot.

matrixme:
And that Stupiid Udom wants to be president? Right under his nose, an ethnic cleansing is going on in the beaches of Akwa Ibom and he's hoping to campaign as a national leader that will unite Nigerians soon. Tufiakwa!
Meanwhile, the beef between Yoruba and Akwa Ibom has been a prolonged underground issue since. They are always jealous of the fact that many Yoruba people are expatriates in the oil industry and they respond with open hostility everytime. We don't want to talk about how they offed Adeboye's son, because of no other reason.
There is a silent cold war going on in the country right now. Akwa Ibom Ayaya my foot.

Tinubuadvocate:
By the time this issue lead to ethnic cleansing the okoro that mocking and happy about what Yoruba are facing in Akwa ibom will not spare.

Frigga13:


They’ve been neighbors with Okoro’s for centuries

You and Okoro no be mate ... Yoruba man

Na so all Nigerians dey observe Una..

Dey dia Dey jonze Una self

Frigga13:


Yoruba man with their Yorubatic pride ...

Senseless

Na why Una dey fear igbos ... reason Una hate igbo with so much passionate bitterness.

Reason dey worship North.

This are tribes Yoruba no fit mess with.. but minorities.. they look at them with superiority and distain..

Nigerians know yoruba so well.

Invictuse:
What is wrong in hating igbo ? Do igbos love Hausa Fulanis Igbos Ikwerre etc ?! People that stand up to your Igbo foolishness daily de fear you. It's like you igbos are brain dead or simply do not know meaning of fear.

DoggoneDogg:
Hahaha
Afonja & fear fear na 5 & 6


Both home & away na defeat for dem. Seriki Fulani don pursue dem from their ancestral land, they flee to Akwa Ibom still collect wotowoto as refugees. Nawa

Frigga13:


Yoruba man with their Yorubatic pride ...

Senseless

Na why Una dey fear igbos ... reason Una hate igbo with so much passionate bitterness.

Reason dey worship North.

This are tribes Yoruba no fit mess with.. but minorities.. they look at them with superiority and distain..

Nigerians know yoruba so well.

matrixme:
And that Stupiid Udom wants to be president? Right under his nose, an ethnic cleansing is going on in the beaches of Akwa Ibom and he's hoping to campaign as a national leader that will unite Nigerians soon. Tufiakwa!
Meanwhile, the beef between Yoruba and Akwa Ibom has been a prolonged underground issue since. They are always jealous of the fact that many Yoruba people are expatriates in the oil industry and they respond with open hostility everytime. We don't want to talk about how they offed Adeboye's son, because of no other reason.
There is a silent cold war going on in the country right now. Akwa Ibom Ayaya my foot.

November1857:
Yes, Afonja has been stealing position in oil companies which belong to the indigenous of people Niger Delta because the headquarters of those multi national oil companies were concentrated in Lagos.

Thank God for Governor Udom for putting a stop to that, by relocating their headquarters from Lagos to Akwa Ibom..

limeta:







Let them go back to yoruba land ni
Watin dey drive them from Afonja land

Kriss216:


The village head said nobody pursued them...why dem come run? Fear full their body. Na only to chest beat and shout dem sabi. Ndi sophistication

SwissMass:
Fleeing is better see your people you failed in the grave

OkoroBufo:

Do you know that over 15 million of yamrees are in SW?. Do you know that your world would collapse if you are driven out of SW.

-Okoro bufo

limeta:







Let them go back to yoruba land ni
Watin dey drive them from Afonja land

Lothaire:
Akwa ibom people should learn how to be tolerating others and live peacefully with them.
After all, there are many Akwa ibom people living in Rivers state doing nonsense and misbehaving anyhow, and Rivers people are still tolerating them.

DoggoneDogg:
Hahaha
Afonja & fear fear na 5 & 6


Both home & away na defeat for dem. Seriki Fulani don pursue dem from their ancestral land, they flee to Akwa Ibom still collect wotowoto as refugees. Nawa