By BANNERNEWS Reporter
Commissioner of Police, Rashid Afegbua has directed the Divisional Police Officer (DPO) in Odukpani to convene a stakeholders’ meeting to address the allegations that armed herders have been using AK-47 rifles to intimidate farmers whose crops were destroyed by grazing cattle.
Traditional rulers and community leaders present included HRH Edet Nyong Edet, Clan Head of Ndon; Etetim Etim Ekpo, Village Head of Esit Ikot Ndon; Okon Edet Okon, Village Head of Obot Obio Inwang; and Asuquo Asuquo Okon, Village Head of Calabar River. Youth leaders, women representatives, and Prince Okon, Special Adviser to the Odukpani LGA Chairman, also attended.
During the meeting, the DPO directed clan heads to produce concerned parties over allegations that Hon. Ukpong Edet Godwin Edet collected ₦4 million from cattle rearers to permit grazing in the affected areas. As of press time, the directive had not been complied with.
Community representatives complained of repeated destruction of farms by cattle, saying the situation had caused anger and tension among farmers.
The allegations gained wider attention after callers to a community engagement programme on HIT FM Calabar last week claimed herders threatened farmers with AK-47 rifles when confronted.
However, the Chairman of Cattle Rearers in Cross River State, Alhaji Bakare Sambo, denied the claims, insisting his members were not involved in armed intimidation.
He also explained why herders were unable to comply with earlier directives from Odukpani Local Government authorities.
Meanwhile, the Security Adviser to Governor Bassey Otu for the Southern Senatorial District, Patrick Odiong, criticised media reports on the issue, questioning the credibility of the information.
Odiong said preliminary inquiries in Okoyong communities did not confirm the alleged incidents and cautioned journalists against relying on hearsay or unverified social media reports.
