Photos: 5 confirmed dead, 3 critically wounded in land dispute crisis between two communities in Cross River and Ebonyi States

Five people have died while three are seriously wounded following renewed land dispute crisis between neighbouring Adadama in Abi LGA of Cross River State and Amagu in Nko LGA of Ebonyi state.

According to CrossRiverWatch, four persons from Abi were killed when some Adadama women went to their farms to harvest cassava on Tuesday, June 21.

"The women were chased and driven from their farms by the Amagu youths, when they reported their ordeal, the youths of Adadama went on rescue mission and a fracas ensued that led to the death of four Adadama youths while four persons were rushed to UCTH with bullet wounds and one, Mr. Ikor Anali, later died at UCTH on Wednesday. While it was not yet possible to get information from anyone in Ebonyi state, some of the Adadama people on the ground allege that, though policemen from Nko police station who were on ground to maintain peace were still trying to intervene, before they knew the Amagu youths commenced attack on us."

The Director-General of Primary Health Care Development Agency, Dr. Betta Edu, visited to the victims identified as John Edward (16), Emmanuel George (20) and Lebo Linus (17) who are currently receiving treatment at the University of Calabar Teaching Hospital, UCTH. Dr. Edu sympathized with the victims and made cash donation of an undisclosed amount to them.

In a chat with the State Security Adviser SSA, Mr. Jude Ngaji told CrossRiverWatch that relative calm has returned to the community.

"Immediately the crisis broke, I called my colleague in Ebonyi State because we have been talking. There is a joint boundary committee between Ebonyi and Cross River to resolve that crisis you know. The Cross River Police Commissioner also called the Ebonyi Police Commissioner and a detachment of mobile policemen were immediately moved in there to calm the situation and relative calm has returned and we intend to keep the police there for some time to ensure that the peace is not disrupted while the talking is ongoing. But the truth is that the long term solution to that problem is for the National Boundary Commission to return there and do the needful."  Mr Jude said.

Source: CrossRiverWatch