By Ogenyi Ogenyi,Uyo
Tension has enveloped the Ndito Eka Iba village in Ibeno Local Council of Akwa Ibom, over the whereabouts of nine children, following the perennial boundary conflict with their Eket and Esit Eket neighbours
Youths’ President of the oil bearing community, Mr. Ukot Robert, who made this known to newsmen in Ibeno yesterday said their rivals have also threatened another round of hostility, with a vow to ensure their ejection from the area
Robert, explained that the residents of Ndito Eka Iba, were privileged to know that their Eket and Esit Eket neighbours were still ambushing and maiming people along the coastal axis of the community.
The president said the youths have apprehended and handed over to the Police five persons in Ndito Eka Iba community recently, who came to destroy some properties after the December 24, 2024 unwarranted attack.
“Ibeno East comprises of Esuk Ikem Ekeme which is ward 10 Unit 1, Itak Ifaha Unit 2, Itak Idim Nne Ekpe Unit 3, Esuk Ekim Akwaha Unit 4, Ndito Eka Iba Unit 5, Okomita Unit 6, Atia Ward 9 Unit 1, Itak Idim Ukpa Unit 2, Itio Esek Unit 3, Okposo one Unit 4 and Okposo two Unit 5; that all these villages are officially gazetted communities in Ibeno LGA, but their neighbours from Eket and Esit Eket have continually been perpetuating crisis in the area to cede these communities to Eket LGA leading to loss of life and many people missing including the children.
“Parents have been looking for some of their children after the incident but to no avail and these children got missing because of the attack in Ndito Eka Iba prior to Christmas Day attack.
“For people to miss from December 2024 till now in that carnage means that, they may have been killed. The community had set up a search party to continue looking for them, while the incident was reported to the Police for further investigation.” He explained.
He listed the names of the missing children to include; Emmanuel Udoeka 11 years old, Happiness John 8 years old, Ikotiye Okon 6, Thompson John 3, Friday Moses 4, John Mfon 9, Gabriel Akpan 8, Susana Peter 7 and Ubong Benselem 14.
He reasoned that, the attacks on Ibeno were, as a result of the controversial attempt by former Governor Udom Emmanuel to remap Ibeno Local Government and cede some villages in Ibeno to other Local Government Areas and noted that the case is presently in court.
He alleged that the former Governor attempted the remapping so that, he would under the guise ceding oil bearing villages from nearby LGAs into other Local Government Area in Onna, Eket, Esit Eket, Mkpat Enin, and Ikot Abasi LGAs to enable them benefit from the 3 percent contributions by oil companies under the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA).
According to him, as a result saying, it was as a result of this, some people from Eket and Esit Eket led by one Aniedi Bassey a k.a Capital, living in Ndito Eka Iba village to fish and trade began to cause problem trying to annex the communities and rename them as Okoiyak Eket.
“The Problem, led by one Aniedi Bassey and his gang of boys from Eket LGA, started on December 21, 2024 when they wanted to host an event at Ndito Eka Iba, but instead changed the name of the venue in our village on their sign post (flex) to “Okoiyak Eket Village in Eket LGA”.
“When we saw what was written on the flex, we drew their attention to it and advised that it should be done correctly to avoid having issues with the Village Council. Rather, they started challenging us, as their boys came out with matchets and dangerous weapons to attack us. We later reported the incident to the then Ibeno Police DPO, Mr. Victor Eze, but they could not do anything at that moment.
“Later in the night, we were surprised to see our Eket neighbours rose against Ibono people and others living in Ndito Eka Iba village; destroying lives, properties and maiming people, while some children went missing.”, Robert stated.
Also, another survivor of the attack, Mr. Uwem Bensalem Ekaete and father of four shared his experience of how his 14 year old son, Master Ubong, got missing from last year December attack till now.
“Since that attack happened, I lost my 14 year old son. I don’t know where he is right now or if he had been killed by the attackers.
“When the problem started, we were all packing a few things to leave the village. He also took some things and put outside suddenly, we sighted the hoodlums coming to the compound and we ran away to escape from them.
“I ran to Nta Ikang village, a nearby community as they burn down houses and beating up people.
It was after I was able to escape that I did not see my son, Ubong Uwem Bensalem again. I came back to ask other people till now, we can not find him. I am appealing to the government to help us.”
Others who corroborated the community youth president were Mrs. Precious Akwa and former Chairman of Ndito Eka Iba Village Council, Mr. Ime Alfred Nkanga, who said throughout his 40 years living in Ndito Eka Iba, which is in Ward 10 with 5 Units , Ibeno Local Government Area has been a peaceful community, until the eventful day when the hoodlums alleged to have come from Eket attacked them and destroy their properties.
They appealed to the State government to restore lasting peace in Ndito Eka Iba village and indeed Ibeno East and also provide sucour to them, as lives and properties were lost to the crisis, including children.
The Ijaw Youth Chairman in Ibeno LGA, Comrade Emmanuel Opolo in his reaction warned that, their Eket and Esit Eket neighbours are pushing Ibeno to retaliate having attacked Ibeno four times between February 2024 to February 2025.
He however, urged both the State and Federal governments again to step in to nib this recurring problems in the bud before it would escalate to full blown communal war.
