19 July 2019
News Agency of Nigeria, NAN correspondent in Cross River State, George Odok Jnr, Thursday tasked the leading pan-Boki organisation Ochibe Bokyi to resist the perceived move by the state government to secure land for the reportedly suspended rural grazing area, RUGA settlement policy of the Federal Government.
Odok who insinuated in a social thread that some out of the thirty six governors cannot resist the N1 billion RUGA settlement cash from the FG observed that the benefits of the policy would be ephemeral as their ancestral lands would be mortgaged for a relatively longer period.
He charged the leadership of Ochibe Bokyi to convoke an expanded meeting of indigenes of Boki to enable them unanimously reject what he described as a land grabbing initiative.
His words, 'Some governors cannot resist the N1billion RUGA settlement cash. In Boki, the answer is No. Those that have started collecting monies should desist from such benefits that will last for a while why their ancestral land will be taken.
'This is a litmus test for self imposed leaders to betray their trust before the people. We are watching with eagle eyes.
'I want to call on the umbrella body of Boki, the 'Ochibe Bokyi', to immediately call for an enlarged meeting of all Boki sons and daughters and unanimously reject any land grabbing from any quarter so arising.'
In a related development one Mfam Felix Etta reportedly wrote concerning the policy thus: 'I dey laugh and I still dey laugh like Obasanjo. So Governor is Obudu, chief of staff is Obudu, the first batch of appointment of about 25 almost 20 went to north, cargo airport is Obudu, 80 percent of teachers employment last year went to north, so RUGA settlement is to Boki? Please I am advising the Governor to take RUGA settlement to Obudu because it is the turn of the north for everything.'
Gov. Ben Ayade of Cross River is reported to be making moves to acquire 9000 hectares of land from the three Senatorial Districts of the state.
Early this week the Cross River State House of Assembly was said to be in a very rowdy session as members were said to have unanimously asked the Speaker to suspend the activities of the Executive Committee responsible for the land grabbing venture.
