By Solomon OKPO
The Board of Trustees of the Ekid Peoples Union (EPU) has issued a strong appeal for restraint, dialogue, and adherence to the rule of law over the controversy surrounding the Stubbs Creek Forest Reserve, rejecting claims that Ekid people are opposed to development or engaged in acts of hostility.
In an open statement signed by the Chairman of the Board of Trustees, Rt. Hon. (Chief) Nduese Essien, and the Secretary, Prince (Engr.) Bassey Itama, the Union expressed gratitude to Akwa Ibom State Governor, Pastor Umo Eno, for commissioning a Model Heal9th Centre at Nduo Eduo in Eket Local Government Area.
The EPU described the facility, unveiled during the Christmas season, as a “gift of goodwill” appreciated by the Ekid people.
However, the Union said remarks made during the commissioning, and subsequent commentary by political supporters, had unfairly portrayed Ekid people as enemies of progress.
The EPU described as “hurtful and troubling” the alleged labelling of Ekid people as “terrorists” for insisting on due process, consultation, and compensation in matters relating to their ancestral land. It argued that Ekid people have consistently acted within the law and should not be criminalised for asserting rights backed by history and legal precedent.
According to the statement, Ekid people are not opposed to development, including the Lagos–Calabar Coastal Highway, but object to what they described as illegal land allocations and racketeering within the Stubbs Creek Forest Reserve without community consent.
The Union stressed that its warnings to investors were intended to prevent unlawful transactions, not to obstruct development.
The EPU reaffirmed the legitimacy of its leadership, insisting that its President, Dr. Samuel Udonsak, speaks with the full mandate of Ekid people and is not pursuing any personal agenda. Attempts to isolate or vilify him, the Union said, amount to a misrepresentation of the collective position of the Ekid nation.
On the legal status of the land, the EPU cited historical judgments, including a 1918 Privy Council ruling affirming Ekid ownership of swamps and littoral lands east of the Qua Iboe River, as well as provisions of the Land Use Act and the Akwa Ibom State Map Law of 2023. It maintained that the designation of Stubbs Creek as a forest reserve in 1930 was for conservation purposes and did not extinguish Ekid ownership.
The statement also highlighted the environmental importance of Stubbs Creek Forest Reserve, describing it as one of the last remaining forest ecosystems in the state, vital for biodiversity, climate regulation, coastal protection, and local livelihoods. The Union warned that unchecked land conversion could result in long-term ecological damage and economic loss.
Calling for a halt to hostile rhetoric, the EPU urged the state government to engage Ekid stakeholders, conduct transparent environmental and social impact assessments, and explore alternative project routes that would preserve the forest reserve. It stressed that Ekid people remain committed to peace and development but will not surrender their rights through intimidation.
“Defending our land, environment, and dignity is not terrorism,” the statement said, describing the Ekid position as responsible citizenship grounded in law, history, and concern for future generations.
