In this interview with some journalists, the lawmaker representing Abi/Yakurr Federal Constituency of Cross River State in the House of Representatives, Dr Alex Egbona, speaks on the crisis that engulfed Nko community of Yakurr, leading to the invasion of the village by soldiers and appealed to the soldiers to pull out of the village. Excerpts:
We understand that your federal constituency is boiling. What really happened?
Well, I don't know about boiling but I know that there was a rift between the Onyedama people in Obubra and the people of Nko in Yakurr Local Government Area. Onyedama is not part of my federal constituency, but Nko is, even though the Obubra people are still my people. I represent the Nko people of Yakurr. But in times like this, I share in the pains of the Obubra and Yakurr people.
I understand the two communities were having some disagreements and it lingered for a while before security agents were invited to find a lasting peace to it. I am also told that among those who went to there to settle the rift was a top soldier. According to available information, the people had concluded their task and were about to leave when someone shot one of the soldiers. Luckily, the man did not die. He was rushed to a hospital and I understand he is receiving medical attention.
I have roundly condemned that needless attack on a soldier who was only performing his lawful duty. Whoever shot at the soldier stands condemned for his action. Now, as a result of the shooting, I have got reports that soldiers had to invade the Nko community. Of course, you know what would happen to that kind of community if soldiers have to invade their land.
Within a space of two hours on Monday, June 27, I received no fewer than 400 calls and 700 messages from my constituents, each of them either crying or asking for help in terms of accommodation or requesting for money to eat. I actually lost concentration throughout the day. While the calls were coming, I was also calling some officials of the state and federal government, including the military high command, to see how the situation can be handled.
Before noon on that Monday, information got to me that the entire Nko community had been deserted. The natives became refugees in neighbouring communities of Ugep, Ekori and so on. The palace of the Obol Lopon Ugep as well as the palace of the Obol Lopon Ekori were taken over by the refugees. It was an emergency situation and I really pitied the children and women who had to go through hell trying to flee Nko.
I am equally told that even children were looking for their parents and vice versa. As I speak with you people now, there is no civilian in Nko. Perhaps you can find goats and fowls there. But all human beings have fled the place. Some of them ran into the bush and are still there. Some ran to nearby churches and schools, some ran out to nowhere. From the calls I made, some temporary arrangements were made to accommodate some of the people in make-shift places, while I made sure that food and water were deployed to take care of as many as could be reached.
But what could be the root cause of this? How did it start?
I cannot answer that question now. I really do not know how it started. All I know is that the Nko and Onyedama communities were having issues bothering on land. Security agencies will know all the minute details. I wouldn't want to start talking about what I am not sure of. Until I get full information on the immediate and remote causes of the rift, I will like to leave it at that.
Do you have an idea of the extent of damage suffered by the two communities so far?
Everything I will be telling you will be hear say because I have not been there yet to see things for myself. I have heard various versions from various people. The true position is yet to be known. But I can tell you that life has not been the same for Nko people. If nothing else, the psychological torture that the people have had to go through is traumatising enough. I have heard that a few lives have been lost. I cannot confirm authoritatively. But if you remember what soldiers did to Odi in Bayelsa State, then you may just imagine what may have happened there right now. There is no way soldiers will enter a place in revenge that the community will remain the same. Maybe by the time I go there and come back, I should be able to answer this question with much more precision.
What is the state government doing about the situation?
One of the calls I made when I was told of this was to the State Emergency Management Agency, SEMA. For me, the first concern was the welfare of the people. I was bothered about the lives of Nko people. First, how they would cope, after running away from their homes. I am glad to say that the state government did not take the situation lightly. I understand that some interventions were made to cushion the effects of the sudden dislocation and disorganisation on the part of the people. Apart from the government, I am equally glad that Ugep and Ekori people open their arms and received the fleeing neighbours and assisted them the much they could.
I want to seize this opportunity to thank not just the state government but the Obol Lopon Ugep as well as the Obol Lopon Ekori and other traditional rulers and chiefs in those places for giving a helping hand to their refugee neighbours form Nko.
So, what next?
We are still dealing with the situation and will continue to deal with it. I am appealing to the soldiers to calm down and allow us to wade into the matter. I am aware that the state governor, Prof Ben Ayade has taken more than ordinary interest in the situation. Yes, the youth who shot at the soldier was very wrong, but I like to stand in the gap for the innocent Nko people to plead with the military high command to recall the soldiers from Nko. Let the soldiers be withdrawn from the community in the spirit of forgiveness.
While we continue to plead with the military high command for their understanding, we will continue to find ways and means of making life a bit bearable for the people. They are all my people. As a father, my duty is to use the right hand to flog them for misbehaving and then use the left hand to call them back to myself. I cannot abandon them. I will be there for Nko people during these trying times.
Like I said, I have arranged for palliatives for them and would continue to do more. I will also work with the state and Yakurr Local Government as well as all the security agencies to see that the situation is brought under control.
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I am equally drawing the attention of the National Assembly and the attention of well-meaning Nigerians to the plight of the Nko people. We must not allow them to die of hunger. Those who ran to the forests to hide must be brought out and catered for, pending when normalcy will return.
What lessons are there to learn from this?
I think the lessons can be summarised into one short sentence: learn to live in peace with your neighbours at all times. You see, if the communal rift had not happened, Nko people would still have been living and doing their businesses and living their normal life in Nko. But here they are, they have become refugees, just because they were not willing to live in peace with their neighbours. See, can you compare the value of the land in dispute to the lives of people that may have been lost as a result of the crisis? Now, an entire village has been sacked.
My people should learn how to live in peace and avoid anything that will bring trouble. People call me man of peace because I can pay any price to achieve peace. I just hope that this whole thing will teach the Nko people and all others who take delight in dragging land and fighting each other to retrace their steps. Let me once again urge the military high command to please pull out their men from the Nko community so that the people can return to their ancestral homes and continue with their lives. I trust that the state government will find a lasting peace to this.
