Gunmen kill four, burn Cross River communities

Four people lost their lives yesterday when some people suspected to be from Ebonyi State razed down Egbor, Ipene and Abanwan communities, all in Biase Local Government Area of Cross River State. A source said the warlords invaded Egbor as early as 4a.m., killed two people and then razed the down community. The invaders moved to the nearby community, Ipene. But because they did not see anybody there, the warlords razed it down.

Thereafter, they went to Abanwan where they also killed two people at set fire to the village. The source said the people of Ipene heard gunshots suspected to be machine guns early yesterday morning and fled the community before the attackers arrived. “As I am talking to you now, all of us are in the bush.

We started hearing gunshots about 4a.m. in the neighbouring village, Egbor, and we suspected that something was wrong because after the Orugbam people were sacked from their communities last year, they promised that they would bring their associates from Ebonyi State.

“You know that immediately Orugbam community was burnt down last year, they moved to Unwana, Afikpo and the surrounding Ebonyi communities. We did not know that they were planning to use them to attack us until this morning (yesterday). Egbor has been completely burnt down with two people killed.

“By the time they arrived Ipene, because we heard the gunshots, our people had moved into the bush so they did not meet anybody. What they did was to raze down every building standing in Ipene before moving to their main target, Abanwan, where they killed two people and also burnt the place,” the source said on the phone.

The resident recalled that that the Ebonyi people had always wanted to take over the oil plantation at Egbor and were often assisted by Orugbam people until the latter were sacked last year.

“The problem has always been the oil plantation in Egbor where Ebonyi people have always come to exploit and they have always been assisted by Orugbam. The whole problem in Erei land began from the point where Orugbam, backed by Ebonyi people, wanted to take over the plantation from Egbor, and other Erei communities refused,” the source added.

The Special Adviser to Governor Ben Ayade of Cross River State, Mr. Ani Esin, who confirmed the invasion, said the military and the police had taken over the place.

He said: “Yes, we have information that there is crisis there but the soldiers are on ground and they are top of the situation.” The state Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), DSP Irene Ugbo, also confirmed that houses were burnt but said she did not have information on the casualty figure.

She said: “Our men, both the mobile policemen and the regular policemen are on ground now and while I cannot confirm the casualty figure, I learnt houses were burnt.” Abanwan sacked Orugbam community last year and since then, Orugbam people have been perching outside their homeland.