Traditional rulers, the Cross River State Government (CRSG), the federal government, youth, and leaders of thought resident in and indigenous to Erei Community in Biase LGA have been tasked to resolve the ongoing communal crisis bedeviling the the 17 villages community NEGROIDHAVEN can report authoritatively.
This charge was made by Nigerians on Tuesday during a radio call-in talk show on Correct 97.3 FM’s ‘Calabar Wetin Deh’ hosted by MCdipipu.
Three of the callers-in clearly, namely, Vincent, Odop, Egor laid the ultimate solution to the lingering communal crisis on the laps of the traditional and political leadership of Erei. In fact, during the show, it was gleaned that two communities were adjudged to be cardinal in resolving or sustaining the crisis, they are Urugbam and Abanwan.
According to representatives of Partners for Peace in the Niger Delta, efforts to meet with the incumbent Chair of Biase Council, Mrs Ada Egwu has proven abortive since December 2020. Again, the incumbent Deputy Governor of Cross River, Prof Evara Esu, who incidentally hails from Biase was tasked to do more in resolving the crisis once and for all.
Meanwhile, reliable information reaching NEGROIDHAVEN has it that the peace talks initiated by a peace committee in Erei Nation over the communal land grab and oil palm crisis has been stalled abruptly for about 6 weeks now.
This unfortunate development was occasioned by the kidnapping of seven persons of Ekoli Edda (of Ebonyi state) and the subsequent killing of six by unidentified indigenes of Erei community of (Biase LGA). Erei suffered a reprisal attack 3 weeks ago with the beheading of one.
The stalled peace talk was recently initiated by a committee called the People’s Assembly who as part of its activities geared towards achieving peace in Erei started entertaining petitions from affected communities, namely, Afono, Urugbam and Edu. However, when Egbor was due to meet with the committee, she absented herself from the meeting of the People’s Assembly while, without notice, kidnapping 7 and killing 6.
As at press time, the Nigerian Police could not confirm the development.
The current communal crisis experienced in Erei is the 2018 native battles involving Egbor, Ipene, Abanwan and Urugbam; the 2019 battle of Ipene, Egbor, Umolor and Urugbam; and the 2020 communal war engulfing Egbor, Ibini, Afono, Edu and Urugbam.
