Some community members have raised alarm over alleged attack by herdsmen on farmers in Okoyong Usanga Abasi, Ikot Essien, and Atang Mbakara Okoyong communities in Odukpani Local Council of Cross River State.

Some members of the community, who have fled to the forest for fear of being killed told The Guardian that the herdsmen went to the house of one of the youths in the community to machete him to death but he escaped with deep cuts on his head and body.

They alleged that trouble began when some elders went to collect money from one Alhaji to bring in their cows to the communities. According to them, the cows have destroyed all their crops in their farms and when they confronted the herdsmen, they said Alhaji has paid for everything.

One of them, Elder Joseph Attan told The Guardian that in the past one week, they have not slept in their houses for fear of being attacked. He alleged that on Tuesday, December 17, at about 1:30a.m., some herdsmen accompanied by anti-cultism task force entered their community and arrested some youths at the process.

Another member of the community, Madam Emem, lamented that they couldn’t go to their farms because herders have taken over the roads to the farms. Confirming the development, the founder of a Civil Society group, Citizens’ Solution Network in Cross River, Mr Richard Inoyo, said he got a call on Monday afternoon from Onoyong community informing his organisation that herdsmen are attacking farmers and have destroyed farmlands worth N15 million.

he said: “This is a very serious issue and it is also a threat to security, and an issue that we have to address. We need to get people to come on board and intervene in this matter before it gets out of hand.”

When contacted, the State Commissioner of Police, Gyogon Grimah said the allegations are false, stressing that it was a little brush between the locals and some herders that were on transit over a week ago.

The CP, who frowned at the way people blow up issues unnecessarily told The Guardian that the incident happened over a week ago and that the Police waded in immediately and investigation is still ongoing. He said the injured youth that his video is trending has long received treatment, adding that anti-cultism team of the Police did not kill anybody as being alleged.

“When people hear issues, they should try to find out what happen. The anti-cultism team did not go to kill anybody.“It’s an incident that happened more than a week ago where there was a little brush between the locals and herdsmen who are on transit or so and we have put in every measure on ground. We have promptly attended to the situation. Even the man that they were sharing his video that was injured was treated.

“The Fulanis’ representatives paid money for his treatment and there have been ongoing meetings with the locals, stakeholders and the Fulani representatives alongside the councilor of that ward. They have been in the forefront.”

“So, I don’t know why people are blowing up tension. We have stepped into it, we asked the locals and the herdsmen to calm down. We are investigating, even this morning, our patrol teams are even going there. So, these are just exaggerations meant to create fears in the minds of people,” Grimah explained. (The Guardian)