Cross River Govt Queries Source of Weapons in Adadama Killings

by crossriverwatch admin

Surprised by the spate of mindless killings and the high caliber weapons used in the Adadama – Amagu conflict, the Cross River State Government on Wednesday queried the source of the sophisticated weapons.

The government wants to know the source of the weapons used by Amagu combatants in the January 19th attack on Adadama community while plans were afoot for a meeting between the warring communities to seek lasting peace.

The people of Adadama in Cross River and their neighbouring Amagu community in Ebonyi had been embroiled in a communal clash over boundary disputes since January 14 which had claimed about 15 lives and displaced over 2, 000 others.

In a statement issued in Calabar by the State Security Adviser to Senator Liyel Imoke, governor of Cross River State, Mr. Rekpene Bassey, government wondered how the perpetrators were able to gain access to the venue of the meeting
even with the heavy presence of security operatives.

According to Bassey, following the January 14 attack on Adadama community by their Amagu neighbors, security operatives were deployed to intervene while peace meetings spearheaded chairmen of both Abi and Ikwo LGAs, among other stakeholders resolved that both warring parties should embrace peace.

However, Bassey explains, “At that point it was believed that both communities had agreed to give peace a chance pending the amicable resolution of the issue in the dispute. But while the Abi team kept faith and waited for the agreed joint assessment tour, several persons armed to the teeth with service weapons including AK 47 and Lar riffles invaded Adadama and its precincts.

“The gruesome attacks on January 19 were carried out from three flanks on land and water and were coordinated and expertly executed between 0900-1000 hrs, bringing to the fore speculations of either official complicity or culpable negligence as reflected in its execution.

“What is even more worrisome is the fact of the use of high caliber lethal service weapons and ammunition to assail upon civilians in the community during which innocent persons including children and women were brutally murdered and beheaded in a rather grotesque and barbaric manner.”

The SSA said the Cross River State Government feared that, without disregard for present security deployment, there could still be an eruption of hostilities in the area if present proactive prevention approach were not adopted.

While calling on the people of Adadama to maintain peace, the state government implored the Federal Government to intervene and find urgent answers to the queries raised.

It also called on the National Boundary Commission to intervene with appropriate actions without delay, saying “to do all that is possible to forestall further hostilities in the area.”