FRIDAY April 18, 2025 |
By thenewsdesk.ng
President Bola Tinubu’s administration has initiated a significant infrastructure project in Ebonyi State, Southeastern Nigeria, with the groundbreaking of the 465-kilometre Calabar-Ebonyi-Benue-Nasarawa-Abuja Super Highway, The Southern Examiner reports.
This development has been met with enthusiasm in the state. Conversely, Akwa Ibom State is experiencing renewed local discontent, particularly among the Eket people, who are at odds with their federal legislator.
The controversy in Akwa Ibom centres on Opolopum Etteh, a member of the House of Representatives representing the Eket/Onna/Esit-Eket/Ibeno Federal Constituency. Mr. Etteh, a former state Commissioner for Special Duties and a long-serving member of the state House of Assembly, has reportedly incited the ire of his constituents through a proposed legislative action to rename the Eket and Esit-Eket Local Government Areas of Akwa Ibom.
The Paramount Ruler of Eket, Edidem Etim C. D. Abia, has cautioned Mr. Etteh against pursuing this initiative, urging him to reconsider his actions.
Furthermore, the Eket community, under the aegis of Ikpaisong Akoiyak, remains embroiled in a protracted and acrimonious land dispute with their Ibeno neighbours. This dispute has intensified with the Eket people threatening to demolish the Landmark Beach Resort, which they allege is being inaccurately designated as “Ibeno Beach.”
The Eket community maintains that the beach is located within Eket Local Government Area, adjacent to the ExxonMobil Qua Iboe Terminal, and that its mislabeling is the result of alleged corruption by government officials.
A spokesperson for the Eket people, Prince Inuaekid, asserts that a 1916 court ruling, affirmed by the Privy Council in London in 1918, recognized Eket’s ownership of the land. He questioned the decision of the Commissioner for Lands, Iniobong Ekong, to seemingly overturn this historical judgment by awarding the land to Ibeno.
Prince Inuaekid cited colonial records suggesting that the Ibeno people settled in Eket in the 18th century as refugees and were granted settlement by their Eket predecessors, who bestowed upon them the name Ibeno, a term he claims is a European corruption of the Ibibio phrase “Ibono mi,” meaning “settle here.”
He argued against tenants asserting ownership over their landlords in the disputed beach area. He further noted that in April 2023, the Akwa Ibom State House of Assembly enacted a law and map, subsequently assented to by then-Governor Udom Emmanuel, which purportedly restored the land to Eket.
Concerns were raised that Governor Umo Eno has yet to fully acknowledge or implement this legally established map. Prince Inuaekid also highlighted the intervention of the Akwa Ibom Elders Council in 2024, comprising former governors, deputy governors, chief judges, justices, and senior military figures from the state.
The council reportedly concluded that the land belongs to Eket and recommended the demolition of illegal structures erected by Ibeno on the disputed land, known as Akoiyak or Stubbs Creek forest.
Prince Inuaekid expressed disappointment that Governor Eno’s administration has allegedly not acted on this recommendation and has instead pursued development projects on the land for the benefit of Ibeno Local Council. He also questioned the acquisition of their land for Landmark without due consultation with Eket leadership.
Prince Inuaekid cautioned that the Eket people are resolute in defending their rights.
Meanwhile, Mr. Etteh’s alleged sponsorship of a legislative bill in the House of Representatives to rename the two Eket local government areas has provoked significant opposition from traditional and community leaders, who view the move as an affront to their cultural identity and heritage.
Edidem Abia, the Eket monarch, strongly condemned Mr. Etteh’s purported initiative, warning of potential political repercussions if the legislator does not withdraw the proposal. He described the move as a profound insult to the area’s leadership and called for the bill’s immediate retraction, threatening to seek Mr. Etteh’s removal from the House of Representatives if he refuses.
The monarch emphasized that Eket constitutes the majority within the federal constituency and possesses the capacity to initiate decisive action against the legislator.
While the Eket-Ibeno conflict presents a potential escalation of security concerns, former presidential candidate Dr. Gbenga Olawepo-Hashim has condemned the recent outbreaks of violence in Plateau and Ondo States, characterizing the persistent killings as a distressing symptom of Nigeria’s inadequate security framework.
In a strong statement, Dr. Olawepo-Hashim questioned the ongoing bloodshed across the nation and called for urgent and fundamental reforms in Nigeria’s security architecture. He criticized the federal government’s perceived failure to fully control the security situation while resisting calls for the devolution of security responsibilities to state and local levels.
He also highlighted the issue of porous borders and inadequate cooperation with neighbouring countries as contributing factors to the prevailing insecurity.
Dr. Olawepo-Hashim described the pattern of violence shifting across regions as an “adaptive insurgency” and stressed the need for a decentralised, intelligence-driven security strategy with full collaboration from subnational governments and regional partners.
He asserted that the security challenges in Nigeria are not merely isolated communal disputes but represent a more complex and coordinated guerrilla warfare conducted by an alliance of terror and banditry forces operating across Northern Nigeria.
Conversely, Ebonyi State is celebrating the commencement of the Calabar-Ebonyi-Benue-Nasarawa-Abuja Super Highway project, with President Tinubu represented at the flag-off ceremony by Governor Francis Nwifuru. The event was held at Amuro Mgbom Primary School in Afikpo Local Government Area.
Governor Nwifuru conveyed President Tinubu’s gratitude for the support received from the South-East and assured the timely completion of the project according to specifications. He hailed the project as critical to the aspirations of the people and thanked President Tinubu for his Renewed Hope Agenda.
Governor Nwifuru emphasized the transformative impact of the road, particularly for the landlocked state with its significant potential in agriculture, solid minerals, and trade, promising enhanced connectivity, reduced transportation costs, and increased opportunities for the state’s economy and citizens. He described the initiative as a decisive step away from isolation and infrastructural neglect towards national integration and accessibility.
Several leaders from Ebonyi State who spoke at the event expressed their support for President Tinubu, with Works Minister David Umahi describing him as a unifying leader who has the entire nation’s interests at heart. He affirmed the project’s timely completion and sought the support of the local communities. Former Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Pius Anyim, commended President Tinubu for his appointments and projects in the South-East, pledging reciprocal support.
A former senator, Azu Agboti, also lauded President Tinubu for including Ebonyi in the project, emphasizing the need for the South-East to connect effectively with the central government. Senior Special Assistant to the President on Community Engagement, Chioma Nweze, affirmed the South-East’s support for President Tinubu.
The Permanent Secretary of the Federal Ministry of Works, Olufumsho Adebiyi, stated that the road project will create an efficient network to boost agriculture, trade, and employment opportunities.
Bede Obiora, representing the contractor, pledged to execute the 123-kilometre section in Ebonyi according to the specified continuous reinforced concrete pavement standards, benefiting numerous communities from Ndibe Beach in Afikpo to Mbeke Ishieke in Ebonyi Local Government Area.
