13th July, 2017
The Minister of Interior, retired Lt.- Gen. Abdulrahman Dambazau, has restated the need for peace for the nation’s development.
Dambazau stated this while on a fact-finding mission to Wanihem and Wanikade warring communities in Cross River.
The Director of Press in the Ministry, Mr Willie Bassey, said this in a statement issued on Thursday in Abuja.
Dambazau appealed to members of the communities to sheath their sword and embrace communal dialogue mechanism to resolve their differences, particularly in the settlement of land disputes.
He bemoaned the wanton destruction of property in the affected communities and urged the elders to prevail on the youth to embrace peace and dialogue.
He pledged to draw the attention of the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) to the plight of the Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) thrown up by the crisis.
READ: Lagos vows to dethrone traditional rulers who engage land grabbing
The minister assured the warring communities that government would study their recommendations with a view to proffering lasting solution to the recurring land crisis in the area.
While briefing the Minister, the Commissioner of Police in Cross River, Mr Hafiz Inuwa, debunked claims in the social media that many people were killed in the crisis, but confirmed the death of one person.
Gov. Ben Ayade commended the quick response of the Federal Government to the communal crisis between Wanihem and Wanikade communities.
He said the state had boundaries with over four states in the country alongside international boundaries, which naturally resulted in frequent skirmishes, particularly in the boundary regions.
The governor also drew the attention of the Federal Government to the alleged eviction of Bakassi indigenes from Cameroon by the gendarmes and called for an immediate solution to the issue.