C'River Should Not Degenerate Into A Lawless, Volatile Fiefdom

Kingsley Agim 

By Kingsley Agim

The hackneyed cliché of our dear Cross River as the most peaceful and hospitable state in Nigeria is unfalteringly eluding us!
The spate of violence and insecurity in the state arising from communal clashes, cultism and gang wars, kidnapping and armed robbery has assumed an alarming dimension.

It will be recalled that from January to date, not to talk of the past year, several communities across the state (most recently the Wanikade and Wanihim communities in Yala LGA) have been drenched in communal skirmishes resulting to arson and wanton destruction of lives and property. Cultism has become commonplace; with scores of lives lost on daily basis.

Similarly, impulsive killings by goons have assumed a horrifying proportion across the State. These heinous actions result in serious breach of peace, safety to lives and property and seek to undermine efforts towards meaningful development of the State.

Statistics indicate that lives have been lost, while property worth millions of naira have equally been destroyed through willful destruction by misguided partisans parading themselves as communal warlords.

Resort to violence can only stifle development to the detriment of the people. Besides, no society flourishes in anarchy. We must preach peace to engender societal stability to pave way for development.
War is not an option in conflict resolution.

Dialogue remains the best panacea in conflict resolution. As a people, we should learn to re-generate the old values of communal integration and peaceful co-existence, so as to attain a stable society for good governance and development.

It is in the light of the above that I am calling for a truce between the warring communities and demanding that all parties involved should down their weapons immediately in the interest of the public, even as I beseech the government to take decisive action in putting an end to these anomalies and ensure that culprits are made to face the full wrath of the law.

The Agenda is set; Cross River State must be rebranded!