Leadership (Abuja)
Edem Edem
2 October 2008
There is impending crisis in Bakassi over the distribution of Housing units built for over 3000 Bakassi returnees in Akwa Obutong in Bakassi Local Government Area. The Bakassi indigenes had raised alarm over the intension of top civil and public servants and business men to acquire the houses at either on lease or out right purchase.
Investigations conducted by our correspondent revealed that large numbers of returnees from Bakassi at the hit of the crisis, have been taken over by their state governments. The 346 returnees who are indigenes of Cross River State are battling to secure accommodation at the New Bakassi.
Some of the people who are interested in the houses, our sources hinted, have gone to the site to inspect the suitable houses and location with a view to ascertain the cost. This, it was gathered was to enable them put finishing touches on the property particularly on the areas where contractors did not complete.
Governor Liyel was cajoled and made to believe that the treaming down of the numbers of the returnees would be of advantage to the government. Hence the number of those who would acquire the houses were reduced so that the left over could be acquired.
Government officials told Governor Imoke that allowing all the returnees to settle at the permanent camp in Akwa Obutong portends a security risk to the state.
Governor Imoke was also informed that resettling the returnees in the new Bakassi camp could also portend danger as they are people of mixed origin, culture and different ethnic groups, many of whom may have been interacting with militants and such interactions may invite militants to the peaceful state.
Based on this, Imoke appealed to state governors whose indigenes were refugees in the camp to take them home, given that the state government has concluded arrangements to resettle her indigenes at the permanent camp.
Interestingly, the plea yielded good results as Governors of Bayelsa and Rivers States that have large numbers of refugees sent delegations to evacuate their citizens.
The SEMA Executive Secretary, Mr. Vincent Aquah had said that the returnees were comfortably sent to their respective states of origin with financial assistance from the state government, because they were yearning to leave the camp.
Some returnees told our correspondent to discountenance the government's alleged benevolence, noting that they only returned to their respective homes on the realisation that what the international community and the Nigerian government jointly agreed on their behalf was not being implemented by the Cross River State Government.
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