By Tom Moses

IKOT-ABASI—As parties from the feuding Amazaba Community in Eastern Obolo and Ikot Akpan Udo Community in Ikot-Abasi Local Government Areas of Akwa Ibom State meet with the Deputy Governor, Mr. Moses Ekpo, to reconcile their differences, the people of Ikot Akpan Udo have insisted that the only condition for reconciliation is for Amazaba to be relocated to Otunene.

Village Head of Ikot-Akpan Udo, Ete-Idung Oscar Abel, who disclosed the position of his council and elders of the village to Vanguard in his ramshackle palace, said it would not be proper for anybody to pretend that the Amazaba people’s call for reconciliation was well-intended except to come and spy on Ikot-Akpan Udo for another invasion.

He said the decision of the people of Ikot-Akpan Udo was because of the incurable pains in their hearts and the losses they recorded in human, property and investments due to alleged serial unwarranted invasion of their land by Amazaba people.

He said: “Yes, we want peace as they do, but on condition that the people are relocated because where they were occupying gave them advantage of invading our village at will.

“Now, since the Amazaba people are looking for peace and the area in which they are living belongs to Ikot-Akpan Udo, they should stop claiming to belong to Eastern Obolo and stop paying loyalty to Eastern Obolo but to Ikot Abasi Local Government. So, government, in the envisaged MoU, should ensure that Amazaba is recognized as a village belonging to Ikot-Abasi. If it is not so, Ikot Akpan Udo will not be a party to any such MoU. If they want us to sign an MoU, the Amazaba people should be located to one part of the land and not allowed to surround us, because of their belligerent nature as there is hardly any  December 31  that they do not attack Ikot-Akpan Udo burning down our fishing ports and settlements in the water-fronts.”