The Cross River State House of Assembly has strongly condemned the violent communal clash between Boje and Isobendege communities in Boki Local Government Area and has demanded the immediate deployment of security forces to the area to prevent further escalation.
The resolution followed a motion of urgent public importance moved by Hon. Bette Philip Obi, member representing Boki I State Constituency. The motion brought to the attention of the House the ongoing land dispute between the two neighboring communities, which has now degenerated into a deadly conflict.
According to Hon. Obi, the land in question is officially designated as government reserve land and, therefore, cannot be legally claimed by either community. He reported that the conflict has led to several casualties, including the beheading of a man from Boje, and warned that if immediate action is not taken, the violence could spiral into a full-scale communal war.
The Speaker of the House, Rt. Hon. Elvert Ayambem, totally condemned the violence, describing the incident as “barbaric and unacceptable.” He emphasized that no community disagreement should ever result in bloodshed, and tasked relevant authorities to act fast.
“This House will not tolerate the needless killing of innocent people,” Speaker Ayambem said. “We demand immediate security deployment to restore order, protect lives and property, and send a strong message that violence has no place in our dear state.”
The House called on the Cross River State Government, the Nigeria Police Force, and other relevant security agencies to urgently deploy security personnel to Boje and Isobendege to restore peace and prevent further bloodshed.
The House also urged the arrest of Clan Heads, Youth Leaders, and Women Leaders from both communities who are suspected to have played roles in the violence. A full investigation into their involvement in the crisis was also demanded.
Other members of the House also condemned the clash and expressed concern about the rising trend of communal violence in parts of the state. They called for stronger community engagement, legal enforcement, and long-term conflict resolution strategies to prevent similar occurrences in the future.
