Hundreds of people of Azumini Ndoki, Ukwa East local government area, Abia State have protested peacefully against alleged territorial encroachment by the Akwa Ibom State government.
The protesters, displaying placards with various inscriptions, accused the Akwa Ibom State government of extending a road project into the community based on a verbal approval by the Abia State government.
They lamented that to the best of their knowledge, there is no formal agreement or Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between Abia and Akwa Ibom State governments on the project.
Speaking to LEADERSHIP, some of the community leaders, including Ogbo Ubani, pointed out the need for proper documentation of the project to avoid future boundary disputes between the states.
Ubani said the people are apprehensive about the project because of boundary disputes they are at present having with their neighbours in Akwa Ibom State “and don’t want to add another one to them”.
Contributing, the president, Azumini Welfare Association, Azubuike Nwankwo, noted that the people insisted on such agreement not verbal “which could be denied any moment”.
Nwankwo maintained, “With no such agreement or a MoU, we’re worried that we may wake up one day to find that we have been ceded to Akwa Ibom State by our own state government.”
In a reaction, the secretary of the community’s interim administrative committee, Fidelis Nnah, faulted a reported payment of compensation by the Akwa Ibom State government to owners of properties along the road.
The legal practitioner, therefore, questioned the rationale behind Akwa-Ibom State government revoking properties in Abia State territory and paying compensation for them.
“Such payment, in fact” according to the secretary, “should be the sole responsibility of the Abia State government where Azumini belongs not Akwa-Ibom State at all.”
Addressing the protesters, the mayor of the area, Chibunna Akara urged them to remain calm and peaceful, and not to take laws into their hands to express their grievances.
Represented by the secretary to the council, Iheanyi Adindu, he assured them that their message would be conveyed to the Abia State government for amicable resolution of the matter.
