Obudu/Ikom –Fresh communal violence has broken out between residents of Obudu Local Government Area in Cross River State and their Tiv neighbours in Benue State, reigniting a decades-old boundary dispute. The renewed fighting, which erupted early Tuesday morning around the Federal College of Education (FCE) and the Girls’ Secondary School road axis, forced the suspension of evening training activities due to sporadic gunfire.
Eyewitnesses and concerned residents have expressed dismay over the continued violence. “It is really shameful to see that these internecine conflicts have continued since the early 1990s when I was just a boy,” said a social media user by name Kennedy Nsan. “The state governments must step in and resolve this bloodshed through proper boundary demarcation.”
Despite a peace meeting held last week between the Chairmen of Obudu and Vandeikya LGAs—Peter Akonfe Undiandeye and Dennis T. Guda respectively—along with traditional leaders and security chiefs, tensions have flared again. “What did the meeting achieve if another war started this morning?” an Obudu native, Agba Jalingo, queried, lamenting the apparent lack of concrete resolution mechanisms.
Calls have intensified for both Cross River and Benue State governments to urgently pursue a joint diplomatic initiative that goes beyond photo ops, with some residents questioning the absence of consistent peacebuilding frameworks. Others voiced frustration over what they perceive as misplaced aggression. “These same Tiv people who couldn’t fight Fulani herdsmen are always quick to trigger war,” another contributor angrily commented.
Meanwhile, in a separate wave of violence, Ikom Local Government Area is also grappling with deadly cult-related clashes. Reports confirm that two lives have been lost in Olulumo ward—marking the first time cult violence has escalated to fatalities in the area. A third victim is currently hospitalized.
Further tension was reported in Alisi community and surrounding areas, where houses were reportedly set ablaze in what appears to be a land-related conflict. Residents in Ikom fear a further breakdown of peace if authorities fail to intervene swiftly.
These simultaneous crises in Obudu and Ikom underscore growing insecurity and unresolved communal tensions in Cross River State. Local leaders and stakeholders are being urged to rise above political rhetoric and take urgent steps to institutionalise peace, ensure justice, and prevent the loss of more lives.
“When I visited the Obudu Cattle Ranch in 2017, I saw firsthand how closely knit these communities are. It is heartbreaking to witness this kind of division. These people are brothers!” a disheartened resident lamented.
As the state awaits concrete responses from both governments, citizens continue to demand lasting peace rooted in dialogue, development, and justice.
