By Solomon OKPO
Tension has resurfaced between the Ekid nation and their Ibeno neighbours following allegations of a renewed attempt to encroach on Ekid ancestral land through what community leaders describe as deceptive development inducements.
For decades, relations between both communities have been strained by persistent territorial disputes, with Ekid leaders accusing Ibeno of sustained efforts to annex portions of Ekid land. Central to the dispute is a vast expanse of ancestral territory historically known as Akoiyak Ekid, which Ekid communities insist has been the target of repeated encroachment attempts over the years.
The latest controversy erupted on Monday, December 23, 2025, after the Ibeno people, under the banner of a peace-building initiative, donated a 500 KVA electric transformer to Esit Urua Community in Eket Local Government Area. The project was reportedly funded through the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA) Fund.
While the donation was publicly presented as a gesture of goodwill, Ekid stakeholders have strongly condemned it, describing the move as a “Greek gift” designed to advance Ibeno’s long-standing territorial claims.
According to them, the transformer donation is a calculated strategy to subtly annex Esit Urua Community into Ibeno Local Government Area under the guise of development assistance.
Reacting to the development, a majority of Esit Urua indigenes, led by the Village Head, Chief Friday Matthew Akpadiaha, alongside the leadership of the Ekid People’s Union (EPU), outrightly rejected the donation.
They maintained that no infrastructural benefit, however attractive, can justify the surrender of ancestral land or the dilution of Ekid territorial identity.
“Our land is not for sale, barter, or political compromise,” community leaders insisted, stressing that development must never be weaponised to undermine history and identity.
Adding to the controversy are allegations that a group of Esit Urua youths is being used to promote the agenda under the pretext of peace mediation. Ekid leaders dismissed the individuals as misguided, noting that they neither possess the mandate nor the consent of Esit Urua people or the broader Ekid nation.
Community elders emphasised that any actions taken by such youths run contrary to the collective will of the people and amount to a betrayal of communal trust.
Reaffirming their stance, Ekid leaders vowed to resist any attempt, subtle or overt, to redraw boundaries through inducements, political manoeuvring, or economic pressure. They stressed that sustainable peace can only be achieved through respect for historical facts, legal boundaries, and ancestral rights, not through transactions that threaten communal integrity.
The Ekid People’s Union called on relevant authorities to closely monitor the situation and ensure that development interventions under the PIA are not misused to inflame communal tensions or advance territorial ambitions.
The Evangelist News
