The suspected killing of one Omini Eteng Efoli, a father of two and corporal in the Nigerian Army, this past Saturday, May 28, 2016, by persons suspected to be from one of the warring communities in Yakurr Local government Area of Cross River State is believed to be at the centre of renewed hostilities between the Nko and Mkpani communities in the area.
Sources in the area who volunteered information to www.calitown.com maintain that Efoli was on his way from Ugep where he had gone to withdraw money from the bank for his traditional marriage when he was mowed to death, a few metres to the Mkpani junction. A cousin of his who rode the bike conveying him is said to have miraculously escaped the attack, close to the Presbyterian Seminary, Mgbeke, Yakurr LGA. He is further believed to have been stripped of cash and the bags of rice he was conveying to his traditional marriage at the time of the incident.
However, sources in the area who choose to be anonymous, insist that while peace moves may have been initiated by concerned Yakurr traditional rulers, elites within the two communities and government officials, both communities engaged in a guerrilla warfare that has since claimed the lives of many.
It was again disclosed that the house of former Cross River State governor, Clement Ebri, in Mkpani, was specifically targeted for destruction, among several others in a communal clash that seems to be defying logic. While Ebri, a high profile elite is from Mkpani, Nigeria’s Naval chief, Ibok Ette Ibas and Usani Usani, Nigeria’s Niger Delta Affairs minister, are from Nko.
As at Tuesday afternoon when a www.calitown.com reporter visited the area, the Calabar/Ikom/Katsina Ala federal highway running through both communities was deserted. Human and vehicular traffic has since been diverted to neighbouring Ebonyi state. We are yet to ascertain if continued efforts to quell this ugly incident “will yield positive fruits”, as one source submitted.