ODUKPANI – Traditional authorities in Ukim Ita Eyo Ndem village, and surrounding communities in Odukpani Local Government Area of Cross River state, have unveiled six new community security measures aimed at preventing a recurrence of the recent serial killings that claimed lives and heightened fear among residents NEGROIDHAVEN can report.
The resolutions were announced at a community town hall meeting held on Wednesday, where government officials, traditional rulers, community leaders, youths and women gathered to chart a path towards restoring peace and strengthening security in the affected community.
Speaking on behalf of Etuboms (patriarchs), clan heads, village heads, and youth leaders who were present, Etubom (Arc.) Abàsi Eyo Ndem of the Ntiero Royal House said the recent killings had exposed security vulnerabilities that required both traditional and modern responses.
He warned that individuals involved in criminal activities should desist or leave the community, stressing that traditional authorities would no longer tolerate conduct capable of threatening the peace and safety of residents.
“As elders, we cannot continue to fold our arms while criminality destroys our communities. The laws that will guide this land henceforth will not favour those who choose the path of crime,” he said.
Among the new measures announced was a directive prohibiting the burial of deceased persons within residential compounds. Instead, every community is expected to establish and utilise designated public cemeteries.
According to the natural ruler, anyone who violates the directive would automatically attract suspicion and be subjected to investigation by the appropriate authorities.
The council also directed that all streets within the community must be properly named and provided with visible street signs to improve identification of locations and facilitate security operations.
In addition, all strangers seeking residence in the community are to be registered through the Village Head before settling, while prospective landowners have been urged to conduct thorough background checks on intending buyers before concluding any land transactions.
The traditional authorities further directed that non-indigenes purchasing land for residential purposes must construct permanent buildings using cement blocks and conventional roofing materials rather than temporary mud houses with thatched roofs, explaining that such structures had made it easier for criminal elements to establish temporary hideouts and disappear after committing crimes.
“We must begin to live like a civilised community governed by laws and not like the animal kingdom,” Etubom Abàsi Eyo Ndem declared.
He also disclosed that traditional injunctions would be invoked as part of community efforts to reinforce compliance with the new security framework.
The town hall also featured calls by government officials and community stakeholders for closer collaboration with security agencies and improved vigilance among residents.
Representing the Chairman of Odukpani Local Government Council, the Council Secretary, Mr. Daniel Enang, commended the community leadership for taking decisive steps in response to the recent security challenges.
He assured residents of the council’s support in tackling criminality, stressing that the local government maintained zero tolerance for crime while urging residents to pursue lawful means of resolving disputes.
Similarly, the Prime Minister of the Efut Nation, Chief Efefiong Nta, advocated the establishment of a community vigilante group backed by the local government, noting that security was a collective responsibility requiring active participation by residents.
He urged community members to promptly report suspicious activities to security agencies, observing that criminal elements often relied on local collaborators to operate.
Also speaking, Commissioner in the Cross River State Independent Electoral Commission (CROSIEC), Daniel Edet Esq., cautioned residents against taking the law into their own hands by seeking to expel settlers from the community.
He reminded participants that the Constitution guarantees every Nigerian the right to reside in any part of the country and called for stronger community policing as well as support for ongoing efforts to establish state police.
In his remarks, the Village Head of Akai Ibonda, Asikpo Efiong Etim, appealed to residents to become more security conscious, arguing that effective intelligence gathering and timely reporting of suspicious activities were essential to preventing future attacks.
The town hall formed part of ongoing efforts by community leaders and government authorities to restore public confidence following the serial killings that recently shocked Ukim Ita Eyo Ndem and neighbouring communities.
