Residents of Ochon, Onyen-Okpon, and Odongit have expressed deep frustration over what they describe as the military’s partial involvement in the conflict. According to local voices, the deployment of soldiers to Ochon as an operational base has raised serious questions about neutrality and the role of security forces in peacekeeping efforts.
“It is disheartening to see a force meant to uphold law and order appear to take sides,” said one community member, who spoke on condition of anonymity. “The military should be enabling dialogue, not deepening divisions.”
The situation has prompted a series of unanswered questions from affected communities:
- Who authorised the military deployment to Ochon?
- Were similar deployments made to Alisi?
- What rules of engagement were issued to the soldiers?
- Why were troops not sent to secure the Obubra–Ikom expressway, despite reports of barricades and killings?
- Was a curfew imposed in Alisi, as it was in Ochon?
- Why were Police Mobile Force units from Calabar or Ikom not deployed to both sides of the conflict?
Critics argue that the government’s slow response has allowed tensions to fester. “If the reports from the Peace and Conflict Committee and the Surveyor General cannot be implemented, what purpose do they serve?” asked a local leader.
A particularly contentious claim has emerged from the Chairman of Obubra Local Government Council, alleging that the Governor of Cross River State disregarded expert recommendations and directed Obubra to concede ancestral land to Ikom. Community members say such a move, if true, undermines efforts toward genuine reconciliation.
“This is not peace—it is suppression,” said a concerned resident. “Even with the military present, it only breeds negative peace, not harmony.”
Despite provocations and alleged harassment by security personnel, residents say they have chosen restraint. “We are peace-loving people,” one elder remarked. “But we cannot ignore the pain and suffering of our people.”
The communities of Ochon, Onyen-Okpon, and Odongit continue to bear the brunt of the crisis, with livelihoods disrupted and families displaced. In a collective appeal, residents have called for an end to violence, unjust killings, and military incursions.
“We do not wish war on anyone,” the statement concluded. “It brings fear, distrust, and stagnation—even to those who think they’ve won.”
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