Military Post Between Isu, Utuma Community Will Solve Boundary Crisis- Hon. Ibe Okwara
The Honorable member representing Arochukwu/Ohafia Federal Constituency of Abia state Hon. Ibe Okwara Osonwa has said that erecting a Military Post Between Isu Community and Utuma Community will solve boundary crisis between the communities.
Hon Okwara, while speaking with AFNews Correspondence pointed out the root cause of the boundary crisis.
“When there’s land disputes, there’s always something that causes that land dispute. Irrespective of the fact that the area is blessed with good forestry, good vegetation, bountiful harvest in food, the water is rich in aquatic life but the fact that people are seeing industrialization through the mining of limestone has created issues.
So they’ve had disputes in that area for a long time, people have been killed, lives and properties have been lost. People are displaced. A lot of people in that area are actually displaced or have moved to the nearest community due to the crisis.
“So I got together with Hon. Inyang Emil Lemke for a unified motion that will aid the authorities involved to delineate the area and show us where the boundary should be.
“The Utuma people have said that the delineation line isn’t the water, but the land after the beach. So we need to come to an agreement where that line is. Honorable Iyang is a Senior Brother is I respect immensely. So, it is worth the while having someone like that to work over these issues to make sure that we solve the problem because irrespective of anything, we are brothers in a lot of situations. The Isu people have married people from Utuma and Utuma people have married people from Isu. So we are now not just boundary communities, but we are now bloodline related, through blood in marriage.
“But ultimately, there will still be disputes when there’s money involved, as they say that money is the root of all evil. So let us have some sort of understanding, and that’s where we are right now, he said.
Making a case on the floor of the House of Reps Chamber, the co-sponsor of the motion titled: Need to Establish a Peacekeeping Military Post Between Isu Community of Arochukwu Local Government Area, Abia State and Utuma Community in Biase Local Government Area, of Cross River State, Hon. Inyang Emil Lemke who led the debate said, “threats to lives and properties of Nigerian citizens pose a serious threats to the national unity and coexistence, therefore must be promptly addressed.
“The National Boundary Commission Act, 2006 grants the Commission power to address boundary and landmark issues at the State and Local Government levels, as well as within local communities;
“The good people of ISU CLAN in Arochukwu Local Government Area of Abia State and UTUMA community of Cross River State, have continued to cry-out over the boundary dispute between the two neighbouring communities and have waited too long for a permanent resolution of the said dispute, since the periodic clash started in 2014.
“This crisis, which led some communities such as IHEOSU and AMACHI-ISU being burnt down, has left most of the Constituents as refugees in OBIEZE, AMUKABI, UTUTU, etc. in Aro chukwu Local Government;
“The ISU CLAN in Arochukwu Local Government Area of Abia State and UTUMA community of Cross River State have been battling a boundary dispute since 2014 which led to IHEOSU and AMACHI-ISU being burnt and forced Isu Community into refugees in OBIEZE, AMUKABI, UTUTU;
“The boundary crisis began in the area after the discovery of a limestone deposits in Isu and Utuma communities which led to communal clashes, despite their abundant natural resources like; good forestry, palm oil production, massive cassava growing, and aquatic life;
“After due visitation and consultation between the communities, the ISU/UTUMA Beach line Boundary dispute has led to the death over 500 lives and a lack of amenities, posing a threat to the lives and properties of affected communities without immediate peacekeeping;
“The need for the Internally Displaced Persons to return to their abandoned homes and farmlands;
In adopting the motion, the house resolved to:
(i) urge the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) to send relief materials, including
food, clothing and medication for the Internally Displaced Persons in the Area;
(ii) also urge the National Boundary Commission (NBC) to delineate the boundary that will bring a permanent restoration of peace and tranquility to the troubled area;
(iii) further urge the Defence to establish a Peacekeeping Post between boundary communities to restore order, normalcy, and prevent further loss of lives and property; and
(iv) mandate the Committees on Police and interior to ensure compliance.
