By BANNERNEWS Reporter, Calabar
A former Personal Assistant to former Vice President Prof. Yemi Osinbajo, Mr. Philip Obin, has accused the Cross River State Government of abandoning Orugbam community in Biase Local Government Area despite years of recurring communal violence with neighbouring Egbor community.
Obin, who spoke on Sunday following Saturday’s renewed attack on Orugbam, alleged that successive attacks on the community have received little attention from the state government, leaving residents to contend with loss of lives, destruction of property and displacement without relief or rehabilitation.
He claimed that although community leaders had repeatedly alerted security agencies and government authorities to previous attacks through petitions and appeals, official responses had been slow or nonexistent.
“The authorities have hardly responded to our petitions and appeals for help. Neither have they carried out rehabilitation nor provided relief materials to cushion the effects of the devastation and deaths caused by these attacks,” he said.
According to him, the perceived lack of action has emboldened perpetrators of communal violence and encouraged victims to resort to self-help.
Obin further lamented what he described as
years of neglect, saying Orugbam lacks basic public infrastructure, including a court, market, schools and a primary healthcare facility.
“The way the state government handles communal clashes allows them to continue. Hardly anyone is arrested despite over 100 petitions said to have been submitted. If you don’t keep pushing, no arrests are made,” he alleged.
He maintained that Saturday’s attack on Orugbam was unprovoked, adding that no arrests had been made and the state government had yet to publicly address the incident.
However, a youth leader from Egbor community, Mr. Davies Ekor, rejected the allegation, insisting that Egbor residents did not invade Orugbam without provocation.
“We’re not mad people to move into their community and begin attacking them when peace talks have been ongoing. They provoked us,” Ekor said.
Meanwhile, the Cross River State Police Command confirmed the incident and said investigations had commenced. In a statement signed by the Police Public Relations Officer, ASP Eitokpah Sunday Akata, the Command said two farmers from Orugbam community were allegedly attacked by unidentified gunmen while working on their farmland near Egbor on Saturday afternoon.
Police identified the victims as Mr. Nkeruwem Ikoh and Mr. Ukam Ajah Okpan. Ikoh later died from his injuries, while the second victim is receiving treatment. The deceased’s body has been deposited at Uwana Mortuary in Afikpo, Ebonyi State.
The Command assured residents that a thorough investigation was underway to identify those responsible and bring them to justice, while urging people of Orugbam, Egbor and neighbouring communities to remain calm, avoid reprisals and provide useful information to aid the investigation.
This version removes repetitive wording, improves flow and attribution, corrects grammar, and presents both the allegations and the police response in a balanced, publication-ready format.
