Conflict: Police deny decomposing bodies litter Cross River communities

Cross River State Commissioner of Police Olusegun Omosanyin has described as fake reports that corpses litter Etono and Biakpan communities.

Both communities have been at war for the past two months over land and claims of ancestral superiority.

Sources in the two communities claimed that more than 50 persons have been killed, with properties destroyed as a result of the face-off, which has been sporadic for many decades.

Witnesses and enforcement officers also reportedly claimed to have sighted some decaying bodies.

But in an exclusive interview with DAILY POST, Commissioner of Police Omosanyin, and Senior Advocate of Nigeria Mba Ukweni, who hails from Biakpan, said such reports about corpses were not true.

Mba Ukweni, in a text message, said, “Please, decomposing bodies do not litter both communities.”

The Police boss said, “Nothing of such has happened. That is fake news.

“Anyone with pictorial evidence of such incident should come forward with it.”

Omosanyin disclosed that a series of mediation meetings have been held between the two warring communities.

He also confirmed, “My men are firmly on ground.”

He refused to comment on the allegation that armed mercenaries were still being hired by one of the communities to assist in the conflict.

The Police Commissioner had earlier disclosed that there was a build-up of weapons in the two communities, but avowed that his team would mop up the arms.