By Anietie Akpan
Iko Esai Community in Akamkpa Local Government Area of Cross River state is deserted following a communal clash that is said to have claimed three lives and left many injured.
This is a case of brothers rising againsts brothers as two youths’ factions in Iko Esai Community on Sunday clashed.
Earlier, the village had met last year and selected a new village head in the person of Chief Ofot Elijah Okun accusing the old village head, Chief Owai Obio Arong of selling the community forest with impunity.
However this selection of the new village head created two factions among the youths of Iko Esai.
The crisis which has lingered since last year erupted on Sunday evening when the youths’ faction of the new Village Head, though yet to be recognized by the state government and that of the old village head clashed and in the fracas one Christian Esiri, popularly called Egina, said to be loyalist of the new village head was shot dead while two women from the deposed village were also killed.
On the immediate cause of the fracas on Sunday, too sources in Iko Esai said, “yesterday (Sunday) afternoon, a factional youth executive loyal to Chief Owai (the deposed village head) was constituted. It should be noted that tenure of the incumbent youth executive expired in August this year.
“The new youth executive were seated at the centre of the village square forming a blockage which prevented people from passing through.
“During their continued stay in the village square, Mr Eze Mark, a timber merchant arrived and visited the new council.of chiefs and later departed without stopping over to see chief Owai and his new youth executive”..
The sources further stated that “when the incumbent youth president loyal to the new village head arrived and attempted to pass through the gathering to his house, the new youth executive prevented him from passing through the gathering.
“This led to altercation whereby one of chief Owai’s family members belonging to the new youth executive shot and killed another person (Esiri) loyal to the incumbent youth president. The same person had shot and wounded a town crier last year. The matter was reported to the police and chairman of council who ordered for the boy”s arrest but the boy evaded arrest”.
Sources said the alleged killing of a youth on Sunday by a family member of the dethroned village head last year led to the current rampage and “so far about three corpses are on ground including two women from Chief Owai’s family. About five houses have been destroyed including chief Owai’s compound.
“Death toll may increase due to Matchett cuts inflicted on some persons and Chief Owai’s loyalist are reported to have escaped to different locations while the incumbent youths are still at the village square.
Meanwhile unconfirmed reports said police team from Uyanga and some Army personnel are said to be on ground accessing the situation and forestalling further attacks.
One Savior Arong from Iko Esai who also ran with his family at about midnight said, “the two youths factions have been fighting themselves over the years, police and court cases over the years, this time one of them shot the other persons from the other camp, that is what led to the present crisis. Houses have been razed down; the community people have all ran out for safety of their lives.
“The community is divided because some persons are in support of the other side while some are in support of the new fellow. I think sometimes in November last year they formerly came as a community and recognized the new guy, Chief Ofot Elijah Okun, but government has not handed certificate of recognition to the new fellow”.
The Cross River State Police Command, Public Relation Officer, Superintendent of Police, Irene Ugbo could not be reached to comment on the incident.
