INTER-ETHNIC CLASH CLAIMS LIVES

 

INTER-ETHNIC CLASH CLAIMS LIVES BY JOE ETOKUDOR

Peace appears elusive in the prostrated inter-ethnic palaver between the people of Ikpe Ikot Nkon in Ini Local Government Area of Akwa Ibom State and the nomadic-Fulani Herdsmen sojourning in the area recently.

            Sources available to Century Newsfront disclosed that the Fulani cattle rearers are fond of letting their cows to graze loosely on the people’s crops and farmland with impunity thus causing serious damages to their crops and farmland. It was also gathered that the animousity between these Fulani herdsmen and their Ikpe Land Lords had been with them for many years now.

            The Fulani herdsmen were said to have aggressively opened fire on sighting some young men from the area who were trying to traverse the bust grit close to the creek where they were now using as their permanent abode. “A situation when the herdsmen who are expected to have respect for the sanctity of humanity life has degenerated to the absurd degree of being harbingers of death, crude rappers of our women and formentored of trouble” added another source.

            This bizarre action of these Fulani Herdsmen further triggered a mini-war between the two ethnic groups-series of exchange of gunshots; missiles and brandishing of matchets were the characteristic features of the mayhem.

            The internecine crisis involving these two groups claimed not less than three lives leaving many others wounded, while cattle were killed with reckless abandon.

            Disturbed by the effusive blood-letting and wanton destruction of lives and property which the renewed hostilities between the two ethnic  groups brought in its wake, the Divisional Police Officer in Ini Local Government Area dispatched a team of anti-riot policemen to the area for peace keeping.

            As at recent, the Fulani herdsmen were seen marching with their herd of cattle for onward movement to Umuahia in Abia State.

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