By Udo Ibuot

An obvious miscarriage of justice appears to be festering in our firmament. This flows from actions of some of our governors who are either poorly counselled or ignore sound counseling on the history and topography of some of their local government areas when making official declarations. This form of injustice appears to have become the norm for some governors in Akwa Ibom State. These governors forget that adoption of good counsel can prevent unguarded declarations with the potential to disrupt the peace of their communities.

The first recent scenario involves the avoidable misrepresentation in 2021 by the erstwhile Governor Udom Emmanuel in Ikot Abasi Local Government Area of the state. The former governor had invited his Rivers State counterpart, Nyesom Wike, to lay the foundation of the Sterling Global Petrochemical and Fertiliser Plant at Ikot Akpan Udo community in Ukpum Ete Clan, the heartland of the Ikot Abasi Liberty Oil and Gas Free Zone.

The former governor declared, within the territory of the Ikot Akpan Udo community, that the project was in the Eastern Obolo Local Government Area. That declaration not only portrayed ex-Governor Emmanuel’s poor knowledge of the history and topography of the conurbation but also led to agitations and charges of his possible influence by unjust and dubious characters. The former governor chose to ignore the pain that his obviously wrong declaration had caused people in the community. It is public knowledge that following this misrepresentation, the petrochemical firm has paid land compensation worth hundreds of millions of naira to the Eastern Obolo in a territory that legally belongs to the Ikot Abasi Local Government Council. Following this development the people of Ikot Akpan Udo community soon found themselves being terrorised by those suspected to be hired mercenaries.

The oil firm has also failed to comply with provisions of the Nigerian Oil and Gas Industry Content Development Act No. 2 of 2010. The law directs oil and gas operators or promoters to maintain a reasonable number of personnel from areas where they have significant operations. Sections 10 and 28 of the Act require oil and gas firms to train and employ citizens of their host communities, but the firm deliberately violates these provisions. It has also refused to recognise Ikot Akpan Udo as its core host community, despite the community’s donation of more than 1000 hectares of prime farmland to it. These are thoroughly unjust actions that call for sanctions and immediate remedy.

If the ex-Governor Emmanuel’s faux pas was excusable because Akwa Ibom State had no certified and gazetted map at the time, the incumbent Governor, Pastor Umo Eno’s recent declaration is inexcusable. The governor went to the Ikot Akpan Udo community recently to inspect a water treatment plant constructed for the petrochemical firm. There he also reportedly claimed that the project was in Eastern Obolo LGA. Pray, is the Ikot Akpan Udo community or Ukpum Ete Clan in Ikot Abasi LGA now part of Eastern Obolo LGA?

Can these governors deliberately misrepresent such facts of history or topography in their local government areas? If the Indian managing director of the firm had made such an illegal claim, everyone would have been persuaded to ask for forgiveness on the basis of ignorance. However, a governor who supposedly campaigned in all the nooks and crannies and can obtain credible counsel on the history and topography of all communities in the state cannot claim ignorance of the true situation of things. As one who has been called to lead, the governor should not undermine the interest of the people God has placed under his care.

A governor who operates on the basis of the rule of law cannot make such profound mistakes, except if he subscribes to the view that perfect injustice is more profitable than perfect justice. This is a postulation that is anchored on the belief that justice is nothing more than mere good nature, while injustice should serve as genuine good policy that may be adopted because it is good and powerful.

Such a view also supports the doctrine that justice is simply the interest of the stronger, a position that often produces strife and division. Although injustice may appear to be advantageous to the unjust persons most of the time, it is, in the long run, not more profitable than justice. This wholesale appropriation of other communities’ rights, as is evidently being practised by the government, speaks of despotism taken too far. While this form of injustice makes the wrongdoer and its beneficiaries happy, it makes those who are wronged and do not want to retaliate very miserable.

The Akwa Ibom State Map Establishment Law that was passed by the state legislature and signed into law by former Governor Emmanuel became operative in April 2023. The map establishment law situates the petrochemical plant in Ikot Abasi Local Government Area, and it is not clear who is beating the drums for the current macabre dance on it. The incumbent governor has indicated that his government will not apply what is profitable to itself but will work for what will be profitable for his subjects and the interests of the peope.

It is expected that he will rise to the occasion by implementing this law of the state. The delay is currently providing armament for the continuous destruction of Ikot Akpan Udo by suspected Eastern Obolo terrorists who consider the community as a point of contact for expressing their vengeance against the state. Implementation of the law should come with the necessary justice to the distressed people of this oil-producing community that has borne the attacks from the terrorists more than 15 times since the unprovoked genocide of August 28, 2008. 

The governor must ensure that the Ikot Akpan Udo community is rebuilt, and appropriate compensation paid to the people for their losses.

Regarding settlement for the Eastern Obolo hamlets of Amazaba, justice demands that the state government rebuild the old Itak Abasi village that is contiguous to Emereoke for them. Aside from its history, the former Itak Abasi settlement is geographically situated in the heart of Eastern Obolo LGA and will provide unhindered opportunity for them to continue with their fishing businesses.

The commission of inquiry set up by the state government in 2008 had established that the Amazaba were the sponsors and executors of the genocide and all other attacks on the Ikot Akpan Udo community. It is in the interest of justice that these terrorists never reside within a five-mile radius of the territory of the Ikot Akpan Udo community, as doing so would give rise to continuous internecine conflicts. To even contemplate foisting the Amazaba on the territory of the Ikot Akpan Udo community is similar to planning for an avoidable disaster.