The Acting Paramount Ruler of Uruan Local Government Area, Edidem Eyenowo Ukpong, has called on the State Government to do thorough investigation on the recent communal crisis that has claimed five lives within the Nna Enin and Anakpa communities of Uruan.
Edidem Ukpong said allegations linking him as a sponsor of the crises were trumped up to make the traditional institution lose respect and goodwill of government and people of Uruan.
The monarch while addressing journalists in his Palace at Nung Oku Uruan said he had warned heads of the two villages against starting trouble with their sister community but one of the communities flouted his advice.
“The village head of Nna Enin was the first that reported to me that he was going to claim the oil wells located in Anakpa as belonging to his village. I warned him against it but he didn’t listen. I also advised the people of Anakpa to ignore whatever provocation the chief of Nna Enin kicks up. The next time I ever heard from the community was a phone call around midnight that the people of Nna Enin have shot two people in Anakpa”.
“I sent signal to the Police that night to help save the lives of those that were shot”.
Ukpong said when the crises started, he wrote to the transition committee chairman of Uruan, the Police, Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, and the Governor about the events in Uruan.
He recalled that he led members of the Uruan traditional rulers council to report the crises to Barr. Onofiok Luke, speaker of the Akwa Ibom State House of Assembly who promised them prompt actions by government.
Ukpong who is the clan head of central Uruan said from the report he got from the Police that displaced persons from the two communities were starving, he sent food items to the two communities assuage the suffering of the casualties.
The acting Paramount ruler called on the government to launch an investigation into the remote causes of the crises.
He appealed that the government should not be discouraged from continuing its development plans for Uruan because of the crises, saying that it was just an insignificant few that caused the fatal clash.
The monarch while condemning the destruction of social facilities like hospitals, schools, churches other valuables during the crises, sued for calm between the warring communities and promised that the traditional rulers will support the government to find lasting solution to impasse.
the govt should look into this show of power in order to safe lives and properties.