…Community petitions Governor Otu, IGP, NHRC for justice, enforcement of Supreme Court ruling
The people of Biakpan in Biase Local Government Area of Cross River state have cried out over what they describe as “renewed hostilities and unprovoked attacks” allegedly launched by their neighbours from Etono II community, resulting in killings, arson, and the destruction of property including a religious estate belonging to the Brotherhood of the Cross and Star (BCS) NEGROIDHAVEN can report.
In a strongly worded public statement issued under the auspices of the Biakpan Traditional Rulers Council and Community Development Committee, the community accused Etono II of reigniting a decades-old land dispute despite a subsisting Supreme Court judgment and multiple peace accords affirming Biakpan’s ownership of the contested area.
According to the statement, the latest outbreak of violence has left “several persons dead, many injured, and dozens of houses razed,” while terrified residents have fled their homes in droves to seek refuge in neighbouring communities. It further alleged that Etono II youths, armed with sophisticated weapons, attacked Biakpan farmlands and set ablaze the BCS Cathedral within the disputed area.
“We have been forced to live as refugees on our ancestral land, even after the Supreme Court of Nigeria and successive governments confirmed Biakpan’s ownership of the land in contention,” the statement lamented. “Our people are peace-loving, but our patience is being stretched beyond human endurance.”
The community accused local authorities of failing to enforce the apex court’s judgment delivered in 1996, which reportedly upheld Biakpan’s claim over the disputed land, as well as subsequent administrative directives from the Cross River State Government in 2007 and 2012 reaffirming the same position.
Citing Section 287 of the 1999 Constitution (as amended), the Biakpan leaders appealed to Governor Bassey Otu to ensure full compliance with all court decisions and to “protect innocent citizens from further aggression.”
“Justice delayed is justice denied,” the statement read in part. “We call on His Excellency, Senator (Prince) Bassey Otu, as the Chief Security Officer of the State, to direct security agencies to halt these unprovoked attacks and to bring the perpetrators to book.”
The petition also urged the Inspector General of Police, the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC), and the Attorney-General of the Federation to intervene “to avert further loss of lives and property and to restore confidence in the rule of law.”
Community leaders recalled that both Biakpan and Etono II had previously signed peace accords brokered by the state government, including the 2005 and 2015 agreements, which Etono II allegedly violated through repeated encroachments and violent raids.
The statement reaffirmed Biakpan’s commitment to peace and inter-communal harmony but warned that “no community has a monopoly of patience” if the government continues to ignore the attacks.
“We have restrained our youths from retaliating despite repeated provocations,” the community said. “But we cannot continue to watch while our people are killed and our homes destroyed. We demand immediate government action before the situation degenerates further.”
The Biakpan Traditional Rulers Council concluded by appealing to the media, civil society, and human rights organizations to draw national attention to what it called “a systematic campaign of aggression against a peaceful people.”
At press time, there are ongoing attempts to reach leaders of Etono II community for comment. The Cross River State Government has yet to issue an official statement on the latest violence.
