By Asuquo Cletus
Cocoa, often referred to as the “golden bean,” remains one of Nigeria’s key agricultural exports, contributing significantly to rural livelihoods and national revenue. With the current global demand for cocoa products rising, especially in Europe and Asia, many cocoa-producing communities in Cross River State have begun witnessing a new wave of economic activity and land value appreciation. This resurgence has inevitably led to land disputes, particularly in legacy estates like Abonita, where ownership and control of cocoa plots have become subjects of heated contention.
One such dispute involves Mr. Mbu Liku, popularly known as Mac Prince, a prominent cocoa farmer and entrepreneur in Etung Local Government Area. Amid claims of military intimidation against perceived intruders on the Abonita Cocoa Estate, Mac Prince has come under public scrutiny. In an exclusive interview with Primetime News, he strongly denied any involvement with military personnel or actions of harassment against fellow farmers. The following are excerpts from that conversation.
Primetime News: How come you are being accused of using the influence of your cousin, a military officer, to perpetrate atrocities at Abonita Cocoa Estate in Cross River State?
Mbu Liku (Mac Prince): I don’t know what you are talking about. I have no brother or relative in the Nigerian Army. Therefore, I have no dealings with the Nigerian Army. The soldiers seen in that area are simply carrying out their routine patrols along the Ajassor Mission and Agbokim area, which is close to the border.
Let me say it again: there is no military personnel attached to me. The only soldiers you will find around that axis are those patrolling the Agbokim–Ajassor–Mfum border road, which shares a boundary with the Republic of Cameroon. Why anyone would allege that I have military protection is beyond me. I am not a soldier or a senior military officer. I am a civilian who works hard for a living.
Primetime News: What about the soldiers often seen with you at Abonita Cocoa Estate? It is alleged that they assist you in harassing and beating perceived enemies on the plantation.
Mbu Liku (Mac Prince): I will repeat myself: I have no military personnel attached to me. Those soldiers are merely conducting patrols around the Agbokim–Ajassor–Mfum axis, which borders Cameroon. I am not a military man, nor do I have the capacity to command soldiers. I am a simple civilian who has always worked hard to earn a living.
Primetime News: So why are people reportedly being beaten up at the Abonita Cocoa Estate?
Mbu Liku (Mac Prince): While I do not have the authority to speak on behalf of the army, to the best of my knowledge, the only time soldiers resorted to force was when someone attempted to steal a rifle from them. You can imagine the seriousness of stealing a weapon from any security operative, let alone from a military personnel. Naturally, the soldiers had to act swiftly to recover their weapon.
Their firm response helped recover the rifle, which was eventually returned through the clan and village head of Agbokim Waterfalls. That is the only known incident involving such physical confrontation.
Primetime News: There are allegations that you ordered the soldiers to assault, harass, and intimidate Effiong Asuquo and Joseph Ekong. What do you have to say about that?
Mbu Liku (Mac Prince): I did not give any such order. From what I gathered, Effiong Asuquo and Joseph Ekong were assaulted because they were allegedly harbouring one Mr Akanchawa, the suspect accused of being in possession of the stolen rifle. You must understand that in such a tense situation, when a soldier’s rifle goes missing and someone is suspected of concealing the person responsible, the military will naturally take drastic steps.
In this case, the soldiers reportedly traced the suspect to a location where those individuals were found. Again, that has absolutely nothing to do with me. I have never worked with any soldier, and none has ever worked for me. They are simply doing their job of patrolling and maintaining security along the Nigeria–Cameroon border.
Primetime News: You deny involvement in the torture of fellow farmers using military personnel. However, photographs of alleged victims are circulating widely. Could you shed some light on this?
Mbu Liku (Mac Prince): Some of those images being circulated were taken during the period when the army’s rifle was stolen, and they were attempting to recover it. It is unfortunate that those same photographs are now being misrepresented as evidence of people being harassed on my family’s cocoa farm. That is simply not true.
