...Assures Displaced Residents of Resettlement The Cross River State Government has reaffirmed its commitment to resolving the protracted communal crisis between Ebom and Ebijakara communities in Abi Local Government Area and facilitating the return of displaced residents to their ancestral homes.
The Deputy Governor and Chairman of the State Boundary Committee (SBC), Rt. Hon. Peter Odey, gave the assurance during a meeting with community leaders and security stakeholders at the Deputy Governor's Conference Room, Government House, Calabar, on Tuesday.
Presiding over the meeting, Odey described the crisis as one that had persisted for far too long, stressing the need for a practical roadmap to lasting peace.
"The Ebom-Ebijakara crisis has been going on for far too long, and we want to find a roadmap to peace in this area," he said.
He explained that the government would be guided by a reviewed version of the recommendations in the report of the Senator Victor Ndoma-Egba-led committee established by the previous administration and its accompanying White Paper.
Odey expressed regret over the loss of lives and destruction of property worth millions of naira, noting that while the government cannot bring back the dead, it is determined to prevent further casualties and destruction.
He disclosed that Governor Bassey Otu's administration has commenced implementation of some of the recommendations, including the ongoing construction of the Bahumono road network. He added that efforts would be intensified to ensure displaced Ebijakara people return to their ancestral homes and live peacefully with their neighbours.
The Deputy Governor appealed to leaders of both communities to make necessary compromises in the interest of peace, urging them to prioritize dialogue, mutual understanding and peaceful coexistence, noting that they are brothers with shared ancestral and cultural ties.
Earlier, the Senior State Security Adviser, Maj. Gen. Obono Ubi (rtd.), said the meeting was convened in response to the approximately 20-year displacement of Ebijakara people from their ancestral homes following the communal crisis.
In separate remarks, the Chairman of Abi Local Government Area, Hon. Chief Egbala Bassey; Member representing Abi State Constituency, Rt. Hon. Davies Ettah; and Chairman of the Cross River State Traditional Rulers Council, HRM (Ovai) Elder Solomon Osim Edward, commended the government for its proactive approach and pledged support for its peacebuilding, reconciliation and rehabilitation initiatives.
The meeting was attended by the Secretary to the Government of the State, Prof. Anthony Owan-Enoh; Acting Clan Head of Ebijakara; Clan Head of Ebom; community stakeholders; a representative of the Commissioner of Police; and other government officials.
