Communal Clash In Ofodua Adun Village In Cross River State Kills 3, Injures 30

Three persons have been reportedly killed and 18
houses burnt over the struggle for the village
headship of Ofodua-Adun community in Obubra Local
Government Area of Cross River State.
Besides, over 30 persons were said to have sustained
injuries with their property destroyed just as farm
lands and crops worth hundreds of thousands of
naira were destroyed.
Daily Sun checks revealed that the two communities
of Iva Egbe and Iva Egba of Ofodua Adun had been
locked in a succession battle in the last three
decades leading to alleged incessant attacks on Iva
Egbe by Iva Egba natives.
While the Iva Egbe paternal royal family among the
other four traditional families claimed to be vested
with the exclusive right to produce the village head,
the Iva Egba and three communities of Iva Enang, Iva
Obeten and Iva Awonokwe , were insisting on
rotation of the Ofodua traditional political
organization.
This development had pitched the warring
communities against each other as well as sowing
seed of discord and disharmony between the hitherto
two communities.
It was learnt that the battle over who would take over
the traditional stool got to a climax penultimate
month when the Iva Egba, Iva Enang, Iva Obeten and
Iva Awonokwe communities allegedly invaded the
farm lands of the Iva Egbe family members,
destroyed their crops and attacked the people
physically.
The invaders later moved from the farm land to the
village and attacked Egbe family members killing
three in the process and pulled down over 18 houses
just as over 30 persons were wounded.
In a petition addressed to the state police
commissioner and made available to Daily Sun, Iva
Egbe traditional leaders decried the incessant
attacks on their families because they had refused to
let go their traditional inheritance.
In the petition dated December 6, 2013 and signed
by Ovarr Ignatius Egba, Felix Abeng and Patrick
Abeng Egbe, the community said the latest attack
was an ethnic cleansing sort of and wanted
government to intervene in the crisis.
Speaking on the crisis, one of the youth leaders,
Sunday Attan, said: "We have suffered in the last
three years in the hands of our brothers from Iva
Egba because of village head. Look at me now; I have
lost everything I laboured for years to build. What are
we struggling for and for how much?"
When Daily Sun visited the state police command at
Diamond Hill, the Police Public Relations Officer, Mr.
Hogan Bassey, was not around for comment, but an
officer in his office, said: "It is true that Ofodua
community in Obubra local government has reported
to us and the command is still investigating.

Sent From David Aniemeka