Akwa Ibom Govt Alerts On Arms Stockpile In Oil Communities

Barely 48 hours after quelling deadly clashes between rival cults groups involving Klaans and Black Axe confraternities over control of parks and toll collections within the Uyo metropolis and the adjoining Idu, in Uruan local government area resulting in the death of no fewer than 26 persons, the Akwa Ibom State government has warned of more skirmishes.

The commissioner for information and strategy, Comrade Iniobong Ememobong, who disclosed this to journalists yesterday, said; “Government has intercepted intelligence indicating that arms are being stockpiled in some houses in some local government areas for the purposes of orchestrating mayhem.”

He listed the local governments  hosting the armed hoodlums with stockpile of high calibre guns, small arms and light weapons in readiness for the warfare to include the coastal communities of Ikot Abasi, Mkpat Enin, Onna, Eket, Esit Eket, Ibeno, Eastern Obolo, Mbo and others.

He said: “We bring to the notice of the general public plans by some unpatriotic elements in the state to execute a well orchestrated string of violence in rural communities in these coastal areas. We have also intercepted intelligence that arms are being stockpiled in some houses in those areas for use in the planned carnage.

“This is a timely alert to the general public, especially those within the earmarked areas, that targeted raids will be carried out intermittently, and that anybody with useful information should report to the nearest police station for quick intervention.”

Just as the government has demonstrated enough political will to confront the bloody cultists to a standstill few days ago at Nwaniba area of Uyo, Ememobong vowed government had unleashed powerful security agents with strong firepower to deal with the emerging security threat.

Our Correspondent gathered the new wave of insecurity in the oil-bearing areas of the state may not be unconnected with the recent government decision to redraw the borderlines in the oil communities of Ibeno, Eastern Obolo and Mbo LGs, thereby ceding some oil-rich areas to Mkpat Enin, Onna and Ikot Abasi councils in the new map of the state expected to be gazetted immediately after State Map Establishment Bill is signed into law.

Tension has continued to pervade the oil communities in the last couple of weeks, with protesting residents of Eastern Obolo, Ibeno and Mbo, poised for a showdown with government, vowing to resist any plot to cede any part of their territories to other non-oil areas, as the House of Assembly has since concluded work on the new Akwa Ibom mapping bill, which is awaiting outgoing Governor Udom Emmanuel’s assent before his May 29 exit date.

“Government plans is to create a view status of oil producing areas for some non -oil areas to benefit from the three percent allocation enshrined in the new Petroleum Industry Act (PIA),” Godwin Godwin, a youth activist in Eastern Obolo, told LEADERSHIP.