The Clan Head of Usumotong Community in Abi local government area of Cross River State, HRH Chief Stephen Eremi, says reports that his people beheaded two persons from neighbouring Ebom Community in the same area, are false.
Eremi rather alleged the two beheaded persons were from Usumutong, and were killed by the Ebom people and made to look like it was them that were the aggressors. He said the names of the deceased were Nkanu Okpa Nkanu and Ubi Honest Ubi.
On Sunday, the Village Head of Ebom, Chief Sunday Obite, had alleged that a father and son were killed and beheaded by people from Usumutong, who ambushed them while they were in their farm on Saturday.
Obite had said the names of the victims who were father and son, were Oti Ato and Sunday respectively.
But addressing reporters in Calabar on Wednesday, Eremi said it was false, alleging that the Ebom people were the troublemakers.
According to him the Ebom Community had almost obliterated another neighbouring community, Ebijakara and they had harboured those displaced from Ebijakara, which seems to be the reason for them being an object of attack.
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He said they have been suffering various unprovoked attacks from the Ebom community over time, which had led to the killing of the Usumutong people.
“We have no problem with them. We have been very friendly. We had a land case over 30 years ago but we resolved ourselves. After our own, they went to Ebijakara. They have sacked and destroyed Ebijakara. Majority of the Ebijakara people are in Usumoutong. We have harboured them and that has been our crime against the Ebom people.
He alleged, “They have been attacking us frequently. Even until recently, last year precisely October, when the Ebom people kidnapped two of our boys, when there was no quarrel, but that Ebikakara crossed their boundary in search of firewood. Is it enough reason for you to go and abduct Usomutong people because they are living in Usumutong. We are not fighting for anything.
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