76 OIL WELLS AND GOV. BASSEY: ACTS OF TERRORISM AGAINST THE CITIZENS OF AKWA IBOM

76 OIL WELLS AND GOV. BASSEY: ACTS OF TERRORISM AGAINST THE CITIZENS OF AKWA IBOM

Emmanuel Nicholas

The issue surrounding the 76 oil wells and the escalating tensions between Cross River State and Akwa Ibom State have reached a perilous and deeply concerning level, necessitating urgent intervention from the highest authority in the land

It is imperative that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu explicitly warns the Governor of Cross River State to immediately cease the funding, dissemination of misinformation, and incitement of violence against the people of Akwa Ibom.

The Cross River State Government has irresponsibly escalated its misplaced agitations to reclaim the 76 oil wells, a move that has dangerously inflamed hostilities between the boundary communities of Akwa Ibom and Cross River States.

This reckless posture has been fueled by a deliberate campaign of falsehoods propagated through various mass media outlets, wherein the Cross River Government has falsely accused the Akwa Ibom State Government of obstinately rejecting the political solution proposed by President Tinubu.

Moreover, Cross River officials have irresponsibly blamed Akwa Ibom for the poor economic performance of their state, alleging that Akwa Ibom has unlawfully appropriated funds rightfully belonging to Cross River.

Such incendiary narratives, propagated by a failing administration in Cross River, have not only endangered the lives of Akwa Ibom citizens residing within Cross River State but have also reignited violent communal clashes along both coastal and upland border communities.

The Cross River State Commissioner for Information, Dr. Erasmus Ekpang, in a press statement titled “Re: 76 Oil Wells: Restatement Of Facts Updated Version,” accused Akwa Ibom of spreading misinformation. However, this accusation itself is a gross distortion of the truth, as it is the Cross River Government that has consistently engaged in spreading falsehoods to demonize Akwa Ibom and its people.

The consequences of this malicious propaganda have been devastating. Communities in Akwa Akpa Uruan and it’s coastal villages of Akpa Mfrikim, Ufak Effiong, and Badik Eman in Uruan Local Government Area have suffered brutal attacks by youths from Cross River State.

These aggressors, emboldened by inflammatory rhetoric, have set ablaze homes, fishing boats, and other properties belonging to Akwa Ibom indigenes, while subjecting community leaders like the village head of Akpa Mfrikim, Nntiyin Ededet Johnson, to violent assaults. Similar hostilities have erupted in Itu Local Government Area, where midnight attacks have tragically claimed lives of three persons .

Furthermore, the Cross River Government is actively mobilizing its citizens through online campaigns and door-to-door efforts to foment further unrest. Led by figures such as Ben Usang, these mobilizations are preparing for public protest by this weekend ,which will surely threaten the peace of Akwa Ibom people and will escalate into widespread violence, including the destruction of properties owned by Akwa Ibom people within Cross River State.

This orchestrated campaign of hatred and violence is a clear and present danger to peace and stability in the both States .

Given these alarming developments, it is incumbent upon President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, as the leader of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, to intervene decisively.

The President must urgently call Governor Prince Bassey Otu of Cross River State to order, unequivocally demanding an immediate cessation of all activities that fund, promote, or incite violence and misinformation against Akwa Ibom citizens.

Failure to do so risks plunging the two states into a full-scale civil conflict, with devastating consequences for the people and the nation.

It is particularly troubling that the Governor of Cross River State has not only initiated this campaign of hostility but has also misled political stakeholders by falsely claiming that President Tinubu had promised to return the oil wells to Cross River, which was purportedly the reason Governor Umo Eno of Akwa Ibom joined the APC.

Beyond misinformation, the Governor has reportedly mobilized youth groups, including cult factions, to prepare for violent protests aimed at forcibly reclaiming the oil wells.

Disturbing reports indicate that over two hundred million naira has been allocated by the Cross River Government to procure arms and ammunition to fuel these violent intentions.

This premeditated plan to incite violence is designed to provoke a crisis severe enough to compel the Federal Government to intervene politically, despite the fact that such political solutions were previously rejected by Cross River State thirteen years ago, leading to protracted legal battles initiated by both States .

In conclusion, the escalating conflict over the 76 oil wells is not merely a territorial dispute but a serious threat to peace, security, and national unity and most importantly a threat to lives of Akwa Obama people and their properties.

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu must exercise his constitutional authority to halt the dangerous provocations by the Cross River State Government, ensuring that misinformation, violence, and hatred are not allowed to undermine the harmony and progress of the affected communities in Akwa Ibom State and the nation at large.

The time for decisive and firm leadership is now, to prevent further bloodshed and to restore peace between Akwa Ibom State boundary communities

The matter concerning the 76 oil wells has been conclusively resolved by the Supreme Court’s judgment; therefore, attempting to resurrect a long-settled issue through acts of violence and the killing of the people of Akwa Ibom State constitutes not only a criminal offense but also an act of terrorism perpetrated by Governor Bassey Otu against the peace-loving citizens of Akwa Ibom State.