Late Monday evening, our reporter in Itigidi, Abi Local Government Area, Cross River Central, reports that a disagreement between Fulani herdsmen and the local community, appears to be at the centre of the pandemonium that is presently rocking the community.
We gather that the herdsmen confronted some youths in the community after alleging that one cow was shot dead by persons suspected to be youths in the area. The ensuing conflict is believed to have attracted security operatives from nearby Ugep, who swiftly moved in to put the situation under control. Tension is said to have heightened when some Itigidi chiefs were arrested and taken to the police station in Ugep.
Irked by this development, some youths in the area are believed to have confronted security agents drafted to the area. We were unable to ascertain at press time if the resultant death of one Itigidi youth resulted from this confrontation with security agents, even though sources in the area claim the youths tried to disarm the security agents.
As we report, Itigidi, hometown of former Cross River State governor, Liyel Imoke, has not gone to sleep as indigenes of the area appear to have sworn that the herdsmen cannot destroy their farmland and be responsible for the death of an indigene of the area. In Ediba, another community close to Itigidi, one prominent indigene who spoke with www.calitown.com, late Monday night, maintained that, “we are alert because these herdsmen seemingly have no regard for our land and crops. They think they have a right over our land and can take their cows anywhere. What has just happened in Itigidi is a pointer to this fact. We hope government can swiftly wade into this matter or those of us in neighbouring communities will have to forcefully stand up for ourselves, against these strangers with no regard for communities where their cows graze.”
Late into the night, police and government sources were unavailable for comments. We could not ascertain too, if the arrested chiefs have been released.
