The Cross River State Government has accused social media users of aggravating the long-running communal crisis between Iso-Bendeghe and Boje communities in Boki Local Government Area.
For over a decade, the two border communities have been embroiled in a bitter land dispute that has repeatedly descended into violence, resulting in loss of lives, destruction of property, and displacement of residents.
Speaking in Calabar on Thursday ahead of the August 18 Boki New Yam Festival, Commissioner for Information and Orientation, Erasmus Ekpang, alleged that misleading and sensational posts on social media were inflaming tensions and undermining peace efforts.
“Most of what you read on social media about the conflict is not entirely true. Unfortunately, these posts are escalating the situation rather than helping to resolve it. They are fanning the embers of war,” Ekpang said.
The dispute, which escalated in 2010, prompted then Governor Liyel Imoke to seize the contested land in an attempt to halt the violence. Yet, sporadic clashes have persisted despite government interventions and peace initiatives.
Ekpang appealed to young people in both communities to stop the bloodshed and work towards reconciliation. “Killing one another and taking lives you cannot create is not ideal,” he said.
He assured that the state government would continue to partner with traditional rulers and the Ochibe Boki traditional council to restore peace and ensure stability returns to the area.
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