At least 12 persons have sustained varying degrees of injuries in a renewed communal attack of Inua Eyet Ikot, a coastal oil-bearing community of Ibeno local government area allegedly by invaders from the neighbouring Eket LGA.
According to some residents, the attack occurred in the early hours of Friday at about 1:30am with five, who were fatally shot and wounded currently receiving treatments at a hospital at Upenekang in Ibeno LGA.
An eyewitness, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said one Mr. Daniel Asuquo, popularly known as “Dan Baba” was one of the gunshot victims, caught in the crossfire while trying to escape.
He said the victim’s residence and that of others, along with properties worth millions of naira were vandalised and set ablaze, forcing the rest of the fishing community dwellers to seek refuge in Churches and relatives’ homes outside the crisis – torn area.
“At about 1:30 am on Friday, we heard gunshots in our community, and we immediately alerted the Police who mobilised down to rescue us.
“The police team arrived, but the attackers had escaped. A search was conducted where one of the victims, Mr. Daniel Asuquo, alias ‘Danbaba’, was seen lying in a pool of his blood from gunshot injuries. He was immediately evacuated to a nearby health facility.”
Another eyewitness and member of the youths’ vigilante group recalled, “This attack is the fifth time Ibeno has been attacked by Eket and Esit Eket LGAs in recent times”.
“Ibeno LGA is home to major oil installations and multinational operations, and has come under attack by its neighbours as a result of re-mapping and boundary re-adjustment initiated by the immediate-past administration of former Governor Udom Emmanuel.”
He added that this recent attack has added a fresh layer of concern for peace and security in Ibeno, which produces 80 per cent of oil revenues to the Akwa Ibom State and the government at the Centre.
“We view this as a continuation of the unresolved hostilities and tensions between communities in Ibeno and Eket LGAs, often linked to long-standing feud,” another victim, currently taking refuge in the neighbouring Eastern Obolo LGA, added.
Community leaders have condemned the incessant attacks on the communities which have led to loss of lives and destruction of properties.
They appealed to Governor Umo Eno, security agencies and other concerned organisations including the State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA) and the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), to come to their aid.
Commissioner of Police in the state, CP Baba Azare, who confirmed the attack, assured that efforts were ongoing to track down the perpetrators with a view to bringing them to justice.
“Investigation is ongoing,” he assured, vowing that no stone would be left unturned in fishing out the suspects as operatives had since been deployed.
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