There was pandemonium on Monday in Biase Local Government Area of Cross River State after a violence that broke out in four communities of the LGA left dozens killed and many more injured.
According to a report by Premium Times, hundreds of women and children have also been displaced by the violence which broke out in Urugbam, Egbor, Ipene, and Abanwan, four of the 10 communities that make up Erei clan, which predominantly occupies the southwestern tip of Cross River near the border with Abia State.
An indigene traced the violence to the sale of a parcel of land, used tocultivate palm fruits since 1973. The land reportedly belonged toUrugbam and Egbor communities, but was leased out by the Egborcommunity to African Stone Works Ltd., allegedly without the consentof the Urugbam and other communities that have been a part of thecultivation for over 45 years.
They accused security agencies of not immediately responding to theviolence, which they said was still ongoing as of 9:00 a.m. Tuesday.
The 14 Brigade Nigerian Army is located a few minutes away across the Abia State border in Ohafia, and residents said soldiers there must have heard as heavy gunshots were ringing out amongst Erei people.
TheCross River police commissioner, Hafiz Inuwa confirmed that a deadly clash broke out in the communities, but said officers havebeen deployed to quell it.
“We have sent our men from divisions and area commands to the communities,” Mr Inuwa said by telephone Tuesday morning.
The police chief said he was yet to have a full report on casualty figures because he had been in Calabar, the state capital, butinsisted that the crisis has been contained and no report of escalation from his officers on ground.