Ewa, Ettah And The Latest Violence In Yakurr

As 2015 looms large and politicians starts wheeling, dealing and manoeuvring to position themselves to gain advantage over one another, the spectre of violence has been fast to rear its ugly head in Ugep, Yakurr Local Government Area of Cross River State.

Several days ago, offensive weapons were effortlessly displayed and employed in the bloody confrontation between supporters of two political liabilities of Yakurr origin, resulting in scores of these supporters sustaining serious injuries. As the lethal rage tore through the consciousness of Ugep, scores of miscreants could be seen pacing up and down the town armed with pistols, machetes and cudgels;attacking each other where necessary.

For those who do not know, the shameless youths were identified in two camps; one supporting the immediate past chairman of Yakurr LGA, Ubi Itam Ettah, while the other camp supports House of Reps member representing Abi/Yakurr, Bassey Eko Ewa. Until political differences/divergent interests separated them, Ewa and Ettah were very close political comrades in arms. Their political alliance it was that birthed the militant group with criminal intentions, “Operation B2”, which they deployed to the maximum in their fight against perceived political detractors and enemies within the PDP in Yakurr and outside. The group, Operation B2, became feared and dreaded in Yakurr for the ruthless dispatch with which she visited mayhem on a hapless few. To demonstrate, even flaunt her audacious presence, the group jogged every Saturday round Ugep, openly taunting percieved opponents in songs to the approval of both Ewa and Ettah. The ‘marriage’ seemingly came to an end last year when Ettah vacated office as chairman and commenced political moves to go to the CRS House of Assembly.

It is not in doubt that the political ‘marriage’ which openly favoured Ettah’s re-emergence on the scene after political oblivion was engineered by Ewa and at great financial cost, as those close to Ettah lay claim to. That financial inducement may have been responsible for Ewa’s insistence on Ettah’s candidature for chairman of Yakurr LGA, against the wishes of a large crowd of party faithfuls, racking up in the process, two tenure terms of six years as chairman. It is difficult to hazard more guesses as to why this political bedfellows are in an open squabble to the extent that their supporters are openly fighting street battles to demonstrate their ignoble strength. Perhaps too we may be looking at desperate measures by two individuals too afraid to engage in any other human endeavour because of the glaring incompetencies at their personal disposal.

The fighting on the streets of Ugep by supporters from the same but now splintered political camp has led to tension enveloping the entire town. People had to scramble to the safe confines of their homes in the face of pitted battles near the Divisional Police Headquarters, Ugep. The Police couldn’t do anything to stem the violence, unfortunately. Clearly, there is fear that if the violent predilection of these political fighters is not brought under control it may spiral out of control and cause a major crisis in the area.

Those who know the set-up in Ugep know that when push gets to shove, the town has the lethal capacity to defend herself against political brigands serving two individuals trying to railroad the LGA’s political future to their back gardens. Before they go too far, they had better be warned.