Mrs. Ekaette Etim Edet, an indigene of Ikot Edong Community, Nsit Atai Local Government Area of Akwa Ibom State, whose father was killed in a communal clash involving two local government areas 24 years ago, says she is living in palpable fear, as indications are rife that fresh crisis may breakout.

Mrs. Edem, who spoke to Kristina Reports correspondent at the weekend, said even though the Akwa Ibom State Government, through the Office of the Deputy Governor had waded into the protracted communal clash and brokered peace, indications for outbreak of a fresh crisis had become increasingly visible.

Recall that the Deputy Governor of Akwa Ibom State, Senator Akon Eyakenyi, earlier this year, had intervened in the communal clash said to have started in 1948 which involved Ikot Edong and Ndon Ikot Itie Udung Communities in Nsit Atai Local Government Area and Ekpene Ukim Community, Uruan Local Government Area.

Information gathered by our correspondent revealed that the crisis which had claimed many lives from the three communities, followed claims and counter claims of ownership of a massive portion of land which traverses the three communities.

Our correspondent also gathered that in view of the protracted land dispute which resulted in killings and destruction of crops said to have been seasonally planted by the three communities in the portions they claimed belonged to them, the Transition Committee Chairman of Nsit Atai Local Government Area, Mrs. Emem Ibanga, member representing Uyo/ Nsit Atai /Uruan/ Ibesikpo Asutan Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives, Mr. Mark Esset, Commissioner for Housing, Mr. Otuekong Raphael Bassey, and other leaders from the area had to wade in.

This, it was learnt, led to the demarcation of the disputed land and planting of trees along the boundaries.

However, few months after peace returned to the communities, Mrs. Ekaette Edem alleged that despite the peace overtures brokered by the Deputy Governor of the state, Ekpene Ukim Community in Uruan Local Government Area appeared to have ignored the peace treaties and demarcation of the boundaries, as it had started encroaching into the portion belonging to them.

“ In 2000, my father, late Etim Edem Udo was killed when our enemy then launched an attack on us.

“ After all killings from that time – 1948, government came in around March or so this year and demarcated the boundaries. But I’m afraid that we may soon have a fresh crisis, because the people of Ekpene Ukim in Uruan have encroached into our own portion of the land”.

Corroborating this position, the Village Council Chairman of Ikot Edong, Nsit Atai, Mr. Imo Edet Okon, said past administrations and governments had made efforts to resolve the feud, but such efforts, he added, did not yield any result.

“ Previous administrations and governments tried to bring peace to the three communities, but that was not successful. It is in this present administration of our Transition Committee Chairman, Mrs. Emem Ibanga that the Deputy Governor came and demarcated the boundaries for us”.

The Village Council Secretary, Mr. Okon Effiong Etim, who also bared his mind on the development, said Nsit Atai Transition Committee Chairman and other leaders of thoughts in the local government area played significant role which saw the end to what began 76 years ago.

The Ikot Edong Council Chairman and Secretary further alleged that there had been occasional encroachment into their own portion of land by Ekpene Ukim Community.

They also alleged that Ekpene Ukim people had equally sold many plots of land not own by them to strangers, a development they feared might trigger off a fresh crisis.

“ I want to tell you that these people are still encroaching into our land. Not only that; they have also sold many plots to people. I think their actions may be inviting another communal clash”, the chairman said.

The duo therefore, called on the government to send a delegation for an assessment of the level of compliance with the peace agreement by the three communities.

However, denying the alleged encroachment into the land belonging to Ikot Edong Community, the village head of Ekpene Ukim, Uruan Local Government Area, Chief Effiong Asuquo Ekanem, said his community had not reneged in the peace overtures initiated by the Deputy Governor of the state.

He said all the plots of land said to have been sold belonged to Ekpene Ukim people, and therefore, described the allegation as untrue and misleading.

“ Since the government came here and demarcated the boundaries with trees, we have not crossed our own path. And we have also not sold any land that doesn’t belong to us. So, those things are not true”.

Also speaking on the development, the village head of Ndon Ikot Itie Udung, Nsit Atai, Chief Nse Edet Inyang, said his community had not witnessed any land encroachment from any of the communities.

He said since the boundary demarcation was carried out, peace had return, as they had been going about their duties without any threat to life.

“ We have not witnessed any land encroachment since the Deputy Governor intervened. We go out daily and come back without any problem”.

Efforts made to speak with the Transition Committee Chairman of Nsit Atai Local Government Area, Mrs. Emem Ibanga, was unsuccessful, as his Media Aide, Mr. David David, said he was not sure if the chairman was aware of any attempt by any community to flout the peace treaties.

He however told our correspondent that he would inform the chairman about the alleged encroachment, with a view to taking decisive actions that would forestall further encroachment.