Army denies involvement in assault on C’River cocoa farm

The 13 Brigade of the Nigerian Army, Calabar, Cross River State, has denied any involvement in the occasional harassment at the Abonita Cocoa Estate in Etung Local Government Area of the state.

Spokesperson for the brigade, Capt. Jimoh Jamaila, said that there was no official deployment of soldiers to the farm, nor was any attached to individuals in the estate.

Jamaila, speaking with newsmen in Calabar, on Wednesday, challenged those alleging the involvement of the army personnel to come forward with their identities.

According to her, the army will be excited, if the affected allottees raising the alarm can identify the soldiers in question.

The management of the estate had been a source of contention between the Cross River Government and the family of Mbu Liku.

The Liku’s family is laying claim to the ownership of the estate, insisting that the land belonged to their late father.

The dispute over ownership of the estate is pending in several courts in the state.

The present administration of Sen. Bassey Otu, however, disregarded the claim and allocated the estate to some farmers.

Some of the farmers last week accused the Liku’s family of using soldiers to beat and chase them away from their farms, and harvesting their farm produce.

The allottees, which included Messrs Joseph Ekong, Duke Njor, Boniface, Nic Ntui, Clement Isong-Amba, and Etta Roland, alleged that soldiers had on several occasions assaulted and harassed them on the orders of Liku.

Ntui, who spoke on behalf of the other allottees, claimed that the soldiers, reportedly accompanying Liku, have been preventing them from accessing their farms, which they “legitimately paid for and acquired from the State Government”.

Ntui further alleged that armed soldiers usually stormed the estate, intimidating and chasing them away, and allowing Liku to harvest their cocoa.

“There’s already an existing ruling in suit No: HM/73/2020. And Dismissal in Suit No: HC/MSC 24/2024, an action by way of prerogative orders of mandamus and prohibition,” Ntui said.

Meanwhile, the State Security Adviser (SSA), Maj.-Gen. Okoi Obono (rtd.) confirmed that Liku used soldiers at the Achufa, Ajassor Mission, and Etomi checkpoints to intimidate the farmers.

“Mr Mbu Liku should be warned to desist from eliciting the services of soldiers or security agencies to further his negative tendencies immediately,” Obono said.

However, Liku denied the allegation, saying that at no time did he engage the services of any soldier to physically assault, intimidate, or harass a fellow farmer as claimed by some of the allottees.

He contended that the allottees were the ones blackmailing him for their selfish interest. (NAN)