Akwa Ibom, Abia Move To End Ika, Ukwa-East Boundary War

Governor Umo Eno of Akwa Ibom State and his Abia State counterpart, Alex Otti, have concluded plans to end the perennial boundary skirmishes between Ikot Udo community in Ika local government area (Akwa Ibom) and Ukwa-East LGA in the neihbouring Abia.

Towards this end, the deputy governor of Akwa Ibom, Senator Akon Eyakenyi, and Engr. Ikechukwu Emetu, Abia deputy governor, both chairmen of their states’ Boundary Committees’ have agreed to a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to end the skirmishes.

At the joint peace meeting held at Ikot Udo in Ika LGA with the Abia delegation led by Engr.Emetu, the warring people of Ukwa East and their Ikot Udo neighbours were advised to embrace peace.

Senator Eyakenyi, who conveyed the position of her boss to the forum, expressed the  resoluteness of the State government reaching amicable resolution to the bloody war that had over the years consumed several lives and properties on both sides.

He regretted that the toll of war has grounded developments in some communities, explaining that this idea was the motivating factor that propelled the Governor to immediately wade into the boundary crisis between the two sister by reaching out to Governor Otti, on hearing of the freequent skirmishes.

Noting that Abia State for the first time has a Governor who has the interest of his people at heart with development springing up everyday, she affirmed that  “there cannot be good development in the two villages without a good access road.”

She, therefore, urged youths from the two communities to get involved in productive ventures to improve their families rather than engage in senseless feud, “so as to encourage governments of the two States do more.”

Senator Eyakenyi recalled the truce earlier reached by both States last year that each State should begin the construction of Ikot Udo/Ukwa East road from its stretch to the merging point, stating that Akwa Ibom State Government has awarded the contract for the construction of a 3.7 km road from Urua Inyang to Ikot Udo, while the Abia State Government has equally awarded a 12 km road contract from Oredze to Ikot Inyang, and urged  for encouragement through peace maintenance.

“There is no need fighting over a small piece of land; that stretch of road is to be constructed for the benefit of both Akwa Ibom and Abia people,” she sued.

Responding,  Engr. Emetu, pointed out that the fundamental reason for the meeting was for lasting peace and appealed that both parties have Executive Orders to take the road construction from where it begins to reach Ikot Udo community.

“Today, both States, we will tar our road and end it here. We are not separating any boundary. What we are coming to do as a State is to tar this road for posterity. Nobody will keep Ukwa East. and Ika behind,” Emetu assured.

He warned those who are good at setting buildings ablaze and fomenting trouble to be conscious of eternity, assuring that nobody will loose anything in the process and also bemoaned the lack of development in the two communities and discouraged further feud.

However, the Chairman of Ika LGA, Barr. Utibe Nwoko, and his Ukwa East counterpart, Hon. Chibuna Akara, commended the both Governors for their commitment to peaceful resolution of the trans – border crisis.