Cocoa allottees in Cross River State’s Abonita Government Estate have demanded immediate withdrawal of soldiers allegedly deployed to the area to intimidate and harass them.
The allotees made the demand during an interactive session with LEADERSHIP in Calabar.
They called on the Chief of Defence Staff Christopher Musa to withdraw the soldiers giving security to a cocoa merchant in the area by name Mbu Liku.
The allotees, who include Mr. Joseph Ekong, Pastor Duke Njor, Ekuri Boniface, Nic Ntui,Clement Isong-Amba, and Pastor Etta Roland, among others, alleged that soldiers had on several occasions assaulted and harassed them.
Mr. Nic Ntui who spoke on behalf of allottees, claimed that the soldiers, reportedly accompanying a cocoa merchant Mbu Liku, have been preventing them from accessing their cocoa plots which they legitimately paid money into coffers of the state government.
Ntui alleged that armed soldiers usually storm the estate, chasing them away, intimidating them, and allowing Mbu Liku to harvest cocoa.
“There’s already an existing ruling in suit No: HM/73/2020. And Dismissal in Suit No:HC/MSC 24/2024. An action by way of prerogative orders of mandamus and prohibition,” Ntui maintained.
Recall that there are ongoing disputes over land ownership and allocation at Abonita axis of the estate, with court cases pending in various jurisdictions.
The affected farmers pray that the ongoing investigation by the military high command be thorough so that the officer involved in the deployment of errant soldiers into the farms can be fished out.
The Abonita Cocoa Estate has been a point of contention, with the Cross River State government facing challenges in managing the estate.
Meanwhile, the state security adviser (SSA), retired Maj. Gen. Okoi Obono, gave an update after his April 12, 2025 visit to Abonita Çocoa Estate to ascertain the veracity of the allottees’ claims that soldiers at Achufa, Ajassor Mission, and Etomi checkpoints were used by Mbu Liku to intimidate the allottees.
The security adviser’s update sighted by LEADERSHIP, recommended that the officer detailing troops to Mr. Mbu Liku should be re-deployed and warned, and ensure that soldiers attached to Mbu Liku be withdrawn immediately.
“The soldiers were usually detailed to Mr. Mbu Liku by the platoon commander deployed at Achufa checkpoint along the Ikom-Mfum Border Road.
“Mr Mbu Liku should be warned to desist from eliciting the services of soldiers or security agencies to further his negative tendencies immediately,” the SSA stated.
A letter from O. N Agbor & Co Legal Practitioners dated April 4, 2015, signed by S.O. Ijeoma Esq, sighted by LEADERSHIP, also alleged intimidation, arrest and torture of their clients who are allottees at the Cross River Cocoa Estate.
The letter addressed to the Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), Armed Forces Complex Area 7, Garki- Abuja,urged soldiers to stop aiding Mbu Liku to intimidate their clients who are smallholders’ scheme in the cocoa value chain in Cross River State.
They averred that their clients, the original lessees of block 7A 8C at Abonita cocoa estate of the Cross River State government’s smallholders scheme, whose lease is granted by the state government via the Ministry of Agriculture, are still valid and subsisting.
The lawyers accused the soldiers of storming Block 7A-8C at Abonita Cocoa Estate in company of Mbu Liku in March 29, 2025, and on April 2,2025 and harassed farm contractors, carting way about 5 wet bags cocoa beans and some farm implements including knapsack sprayers.
“We therefore, write to plead that you use your good office to address this situation which is capable of bringing the highly revered Nigerian army into disrepute.
“While we appreciate the myriad of security challenges being faced by the country, to which the army have been up and doing their best to keep the country save,” the letter maintained.
But the army public relations officer (PRO) in Cross River, Capt. Jimoh Jamaila, denied the army’s involvement in the alleged assault, and harassment, stressing that the army will be excited if the affected allottees raising the alarm can identify the soldiers in question.
In a swift reaction to the allegations, the cocoa merchant Mr. Mbu Liku, otherwise known as Mark Prince denied allegations and claimed that the contentious Abonita Cocoa plot is a property of his late father.
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