BY: Nick Nwaneri Calabar
Just as the Federal Government of Nigeria and Cameroon are concluding arrangements to demarcate their international boundaries through a joint demarcation exercise in 2022, a group under the aegis of Odukpani Leadership Academy, has called on the Federal government to expedite action on the boundaries between Cross River and Akwa Ibom states.
Speaking through its chairman, Comrade Kingsley Ita Ikpeme, it said, “this will restore Peace, law and order amongst the neighbouring communities in both states”.
He called the Federal government through the National Boundary Commission to as a matter of urgency domesticate same exercise of boundary demarcation in the case of Akwa lbom and Cross River State.
lkpeme who has been agitating for delineation of all boundaries in the state to forstall crisis, urged the NBC to clearly demarcate the boundaries between lkot Offiong Community in Odukpani local government area of Cross River State and Oku-iboku in ltu local government area of Akwa lbom State by erecting pillars along the boundaries between the two States.
He also called for resettlement of all displaced communities in Odukpani local government area of Cross River state.
According to him_”this disputed area have led to frequent crisis and reprisal attacks, resulting in the loss of lives and property.
He commended the effort of both state governments in resolving the protracted crisis and sued for a more practical approach to end this long standing crisis.
Ikpeme recalled that the primary function of government is the protection of lives and property and frowned at situation where youth of the two sister states who share a lot in common always embark on barbaric acts of destruction of lives and property.
He described this as “alien and ungodly” and condemned the destruction of government facilities during crisis.
lkpeme opined that human life is sacred, priceless and a gift from God, which must be respected and protected.
He urged youths of all warring communities in the states to resort to the table of dialogue, give peace a chance and allow the relevant government agencies to carry out their constitutional mandate for there can not be any meaningful development in an ambiance of law and order.
He called on the youth not to allow themselves to be used as agents of destruction but to see themselves as agents of transformation.