Comrade Williams Akan Takon, a youth leader from Agbokim Waterfalls in Etung Local Government Area of Cross River State, has urgently called upon the Nigeria Army’s 13 Brigade Calabar to restrain its personnel stationed at Afi Barracks in Edor, Ikom Local Government Area, from intimidating locals residing in their ancestral homes.
Takon’s appeal was made yesterday in Agbokim, responding to the increasing daily presence of military personnel in the community.
“The community locals feel threatened at the slightest provocation,” Takon claimed, citing a recent incident where uniformed men stormed the village at an unholy hour in search of a youth named Mr. Akem Aganchawa, who remains at large.
The soldiers reportedly broke into the victim’s house, creating fear and unrest among the residents.
“We once had peaceful and friendly military intelligence officers here who were like brothers to us,” Takon reminisced. “Unfortunately, the situation has drastically changed.”
Since July, the military personnel entering the community have been characterized by hostility, frequently intimidating and even flogging locals, especially when they fail to apprehend their targeted individuals.
Mr. Asu Njoh, a community stakeholder, expressed his dismay over the harassment, stating, “It is unfortunate that those meant to protect us are now the ones intimidating us.”
Our correspondent who visited the Agbokim Waterfalls community observed heavily armed soldiers in army uniforms patrolling the area on motorcycles.
One resident, Mr. Chris Ephraim, alleged that the soldiers are being used by a certain cocoa farmer to intimidate a rival farmer over a land dispute involving hectares of cocoa.
Responding to these allegations, Captain Jamila Jumoh, the Army Public Relations Officer of the 13 Brigade Headquarters in Akim Barracks, Calabar, denied any wrongdoing. She acknowledged only an incident related to a kidnapping case where the military raided the area and found some incriminating evidence.
“Anyone accusing the military of backing someone with military affiliations should come to the barracks to lodge a formal complaint,” Captain Jumoh stressed.
