SEMA Moves To Give Succor To Victims Of Warring Busi Communities

By CrossRiverWatch Admin

Following the destruction of properties worth over 800 million Naira last week in some communities in Busi, Obanliku local government area the Cross River State Emergency Management Agency (CR SEMA) says it has begun processes to aid the IDPs.

John Enaku, the director general of the agency told CrossRiverWatch in a telephone chat that some of the agency’s official visited the warring Befre and Estong communities to asses the damage, confirming that almost a billion Naira worth of property and investments were lost to the crisis.

“If you consider all the houses, all the certificates, all the livestock, all the things, all the food crops put together will give you about 800 million Naira” said Enaku who added that, “Because other Busi communities have refused to house them, most of them are in Ogoja, most of them are in Obudu, most of them are in Boki, are in Sankwala, some of them are sleeping in fuelling stations”.

On the steps taken so far by the agency, he said that “We told the council chairman to look for a comfortable place like a classroom and put them since schools are on holidays so that we can now see them in a particular environment. The governor has directed that we move in there immediately so that we provide them succor”.

Also, lamenting the dangers being faced by the displaced people, Enaku maintained that soon, the state government will provide items such as “Mattresses, blankets, foodstuffs, everything that can keep them going even clothes”.

It is alleged that the Estong community invaded the Befre community over a land dispute that has lasted for a long while now.

This is the 11^th amongst community clashes recorded in 2016 alone in Cross River State which over the years has being referred to as very peaceful and warm with an unmatched hospitality industry in the country.