By Anietie Akpan
The minor brush between Fulani herdsmen and farmers in Okoyong Usanga Abasi, Ikot Essien, and Atang Mbakara Okoyong communities in Odukpani Local Government Area of Cross River State has been brought under control.
The State Commissioner of Police, Gyogon Grimah said there was “a little brush” between the locals and some Fulani herders that were on transit over a week ago and the situation is under control.
Some community members in Okoyong Usanga Abasi, Ikot Essien, and Atang Mbakara Okoyong communities in Odukpani local government area of Cross River State, had raised the alarm over an alleged attack by some Fulani herdsmen.
Some of the community members who have fled to the forest for fear of being killed said hat the herdsmen went to the house of one of the youths in the community, tried to kill him with a matchet but he escaped with deep cuts on his head and body.
They alleged that trouble began when some group of elders went to collect money from one Alhaji to bring in their cows to the communities as their cows had destroyed all their crops in their farms and when they confronted the herdsmen, they said Alhaji has paid for everything.
Elder Joseph Attan said that “for the past one week, they have not slept in their houses for fear of being attacked alleging that on Tuesday, December,17, 2024, at about 1.30am, some herdsmen accompanied by Anti-cultism task force entered their community and arrested some youths.
“The Fulani people came with Anti cultist to attack us around 1.30 am why they are after us is that, we told them not to let their cows destroy our farm, they have been coming to the community with Anti Cultists to arrest people and the boy in question, we don’t know if he is alive or dead.”
Another member of the community, Madam Emem, lamented that they couldn’t go to their farms because herders has taken over the roads to the farms
The founder of a Civil Society group, called Citizens’ Solution Network in Cross River, Mr. Richard Inoyo, said he got a call on Monday afternoon from Okoyong community informing his organization that Fulani herdsmen are attacking farmers and have destroyed farmlands worth over N15million.
“I just got a call that many youths have been kidnapped and that they have lost crops close to N15 million due to the destruction by the Fulani herdsmen. This is a very serious issue and it is also a threat to security, these are the issue that we have to address, we need to get people to come on board and intervene in this matter before it gets out of hand.” Inoyo stated.
Commenting on the incident, the State Commissioner of Police said the allegations are false, noting that though there was what he described as “a little brush” between the locals and some Fulani herders that were on transit over a week ago.
The Grimah who frowned at the way people blow up issues unnecessarily said that the incident happened over a week ago and that the Police waded in immediately and investigation is ongoing.
He said the injured youth that his video is going viral has long received treatment, adding that Anti- Cultism did not kill anybody as being alleged.
“I wouldn’t confirm that, when people hear issues, they should try to find out and know what happen, Anti- cultism did not go to anywhere to kill anybody.
“It’s an incident that happened more than a week ago where there was a little brush between the locals and the fulanis who are on transit or so and we have put in every measure on ground, we have promptly attended to the situation, even the man that they were flying his video that was injured was treated. The fulanis’ representatives paid money for his treatment. and there have been on going meetings with the locals, stakeholders and the Fulani representatives along side the councilor of that ward, they have been in the forefront.
“So, I don’t know why people are blowing up tension. We have stepped into it, we asked the locals and the fulanis to calm down, we are investigating, even this morning, our patrol teams are even going there, so these are just exaggerations. Creating fears in the minds of people what do we intend to get.” Grimah explained.
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