There is tension and pandamonium in Inua Eyet Ikot Community in Ibeno Local Government Area of Akwa Ibom State following a Saturday midnight attack on the community by suspected armed militia from neighbouring Esit Eket.
The ongoing construction of a petrochemical factory project in the community by BUA Group had been a cause of disunity between the neighbouring communities, leading to frequent armed attacks.
Our correspondent reports that several public schools and clinics including people’s homes estimated at several millions of naira were destroyed in the midnight attack.
Conducting journalists round the affected areas on Sunday, the village council chairman, Nta Edyang, expressed regret over the incident, adding that facilities damaged were more than one N100m.
He said, “A couple of days ago, we were woken up to the invasion from our Esit Eket neighbours at midnight with massive attacks on our farms, clinic, schools and people’s homes which were all brought down.
“The invaders came at midnight well armed and people fled to the bushes, from where they heard them using sledge hammers and other destructive equipment to destroy properties we laboured to build.
“The sole reason for the latest attack is not unconnected with the ongoing petrochemical factory project which is being built in our community by BUA Group. The hoodlums claimed our village is their land and even hoisted a flag after the destruction, written, “Ibeno, beware, we won’t tolerate your conspiracy with state government to take our land.”
He said the matter was reported to the state police commissioner who visited the area in the company of other security agencies and appealed to them to remain calm while an investigation was ongoing.
