by crossriverwatch admin
Leader of the Cross River State House of Assembly, Hon. Moses Abeng Onor and five other members of Onyadama community have been arrested by the police in connection with the killings and devastation of their neighboring community, Inyama on Sunday June 2, 2013.
Onor who represents Obubra 2 comprising Osopon 1 and 2 in the Cross River State House of Assembly was arrested on Wednesday along with the Community Leader Felix, the youth leader and the clan head of Onyadama following a petition by the people of Inyima accusing them of being the brains behind the invasion and destruction of their community.
The Assembly Leader is being detained at the Cross River State police headquarters at Diamond Hill. According to the Onyadama petition, Hon. Onor is alleged to have sponsored the conflict and should therefore be held responsible for the havoc that was wrecked on Onyadama.
“From available evidence, Hon Onor was aware of the impending attack on us and had the capacity to stop it, at least by virtue of his political position as the member representing Obubra 2 but he did not,” the Onyadama leaders claimed in the petition.
Mr. Rekpene Bassey, the State Security Adviser could not be reached on phone but DSP John Umoh the spokesman of the Cross River State Police Command said the arrest of Onor and others was to let the police get into the root of the constant conflict in the area and “to ensure the attendant killings which have become really worrisome are stopped. So, we may not release those arrested in a hurry”.
It will be recalled that on Sunday, June 2, 2013, armed villagers from Onyadama descended on their Inyima neighbors and destroyed over 50 residential houses including schools, health centers and churches with over five persons burnt inside their homes following a protracted dispute over the ownership of a parcel of land along their common boundary.
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