Twelve people have been hospitalised and several houses destroyed in a violent attack on Inua Eyet Ikot, a community in Ibeno Local Government Area of Akwa Ibom State.
The attack happened around 1:30 am on Friday and has been linked to an ongoing land dispute between residents of Ibeno and their neighbours in Eket Local Government Area. Both LGAs have been in conflict for years over control of the Stubbs Creek Forest Reserve.
Residents said the attackers stormed the community while people were asleep, shooting and setting houses on fire. Mr Daniel Asuquo, also known as Dan Baba, was shot while trying to flee and was found in a pool of blood before he was rushed to the hospital.
An eyewitness who spoke to the PUNCH said, “We heard gunshots in the middle of the night and called the police. They came after the attackers had escaped. When we searched the area, we found Dan Baba with gunshot wounds. He was taken to a nearby hospital.”
Another local, who belongs to the community’s vigilante group, said this was the fifth attack on Ibeno by people from Eket and Esit Eket.
“Ibeno is home to oil installations and multinational companies. These attacks are happening because of the re-mapping and boundary changes made under the former Governor Udom Emmanuel,” he said.
A resident who fled to Eastern Obolo LGA said the people of Ibeno were tired of living in fear.
“This recent attack has made things worse. Ibeno contributes about 80 percent of the oil revenue to the state, yet we are not safe. These attacks have been going on for too long because of unresolved issues between Eket and Ibeno.”
Community leaders and stakeholders have called on Governor Umo Eno and security agencies to intervene before things get out of hand. They also appealed to emergency agencies to support affected families.
The state Commissioner of Police, Baba Azare, confirmed the incident and said investigations were ongoing.
“Efforts are being made to track down those responsible. We have deployed officers and we will make sure they are brought to justice,” he said.
