There appears to be no let off in the intractable communal conflict between the Ediba and Usumutong communities in Abi Local Government Area, Cross River State Central, following a series of guerilla war like attacks unleashed on each other by both communities, www.calitown.com can report.
Last week’s killing of one Pastor John in Ediba and the ‘bombing’ this week of the residence of a police officer, also in Ediba, by people suspected to be from Usumutong, seems to have heightened tension and put both Bahumono communities on an ignoble war path, just like sources in the area insist that the killing and attack in Ediba are a reprisal for “the consistent attacks that the Ediba people have carried out on the Usumutong community”, like a source in the area told www.calitown.com
We gathered just this evening that there is palpable tension in both communities as the drums of war beat louder with a build-up of arms and men presently going on. Most families in both communities have moved to neighbouring communities to seek shelter while our reporters on the ground confirmed that they have seen several indigenes of both communities “getting ready for a bloody face-off”, as reported via a text message by our reporter on the ground.
Irene Ugbo, Cross River State Police Public Relations Officer, PPRO, when contacted with this information, confirmed to www.calitown.com that the police high command in the state was yet to be informed but promised that the police will work within the next 24 hours to put down the conflict. The CRS Security Adviser, Jude Ngaji, seemingly had not been informed about the impending conflict when www.calitown.com spoke with him on the phone.
Both communities initially fought over a contentious parcel of land, early last year and have since gone on to unleash mayhem on each other.
