Over 60 Houses On Blaze, 400 Homeless

Over 60 houses were blazing with fire, one person was killed,  and over 400 persons rendered homeless in a disgraceful inter-communal crisis that broke out, weekend, between youths of Ikot Umiang and Ikot Edah communities, Nkpat Enin Local Government Area, Akwa Ibom State.

Niger Delta Voice learned that the fracas that caused extensive havoc to the residences of the Village Head of Ikot Edah, Ete Idung Sunday Usoro, and councillor representing Ikpa Ikono, Ward 2, Mr. Nkreuwem James, was kindled by a dispute between two boys from both communities over a girlfriend.

Besides property running into millions of naira and money that were looted, about 40 motorcycles, bicycles and ancestral heritages were torched. Two cars belonging to the monarch were also destroyed.

A dependable source told Niger Delta Voice

“A young man, who hails from Ikot Umiang and residing in Ikot Edah had a minor misunderstanding with his friend, an indigene of Ikot Edah, over a lady both of them had dated previously.

“What really transpired between them is not clear. But it was so serious that in the evening of the following day, when the Ikot Umiang boy was passing through Ikot Edah after his normal business, the Ikot Edah-based lover boy and his gang waylaid and stabbed him to death.”

Revenge

In an apparent reprisal attack, youths of Ikot Umiang invaded Ikot Edah at about 8a.m with guns, machetes, axes, fuel and other dangerous weapons, burning all the houses in the

community.

The invaders manhandled aged people, especially the women who tried to plead with them.

Our source said inhabitants of the community, mainly peasant farmers and traders, were setting out for their farms and shops on the ill-fated day, when the invaders stormed the town.

A villager, Aniete Bradforth, said: “

The Ikot Umiang youths came in like soldier ants with guns, petrol and matches and before we knew what was happening, this house (pointing to a residence) was on fire.

“They beat up a 90-year-old woman, who lives here, leaving her with injuries all over her body.”

The village head, Usoro, said:

“I watched my house set ablaze with N2 million cash inside.”

Usoro said he was on his way to the Police Station to lodge a report that a corpse was abandoned in the community when armed youths of Ikot Umiang invaded Ikot Edah.

He said the attacking youths were armed, but that police were able to make some arrests.

A fish seller, who is in her 60s, Mmayen Bassey, bemoaned: “I have been keeping money in my wrapper for over 10 years to buy a piece of land. It has amounted to over N200,000. Today, I am as good as dead as they all got burnt; not even to talk about my goods.”

Niger Delta Voice observed during a visit that the houses in Ikot Edah were completely razed. There was uneasy calm in the community as victims wailed and called on government and public-spirited individuals to come to their assistance.