By Onwa Ekor
The people of Etap-Ayip Kasuk 2 Qua Clan in Calabar Municipality, have called for urgent intervention by the state government to wade into what it termed “a grave and rapidly escalating security threat capable of degenerating into a full scale communal conflict within the Calabar metropolis, if not immediately addressed.”
In a petition marked KAS/EA/08/2026 entitled, “Abuse of office by the Attorney General of Cross River in a manner that is leading to an imminent communal conflict within the state capital: Urgent request for intervention,” and signed by the Clan head of Kasuk 2 Qua Clan in Calabar Municipality, Ntoe Ededem Okon Ayito the 3rd, the community frowned at the Attorney General’s treatment of the courts with ignominy when the matters he delved into are pending the determination of the High Court of the State.
Offering insight into the issue, the Royal father said, “pursuant to the enforcement of a certain judgement of the Supreme Court in appeal no. SC/CV/295/2021, the parties ( Etap-Ayip Kasuk 2 Qua Clan and Ikot Ansa Nkonib) formally requested through their lawyers to the office of the Surveyor General of Cross River for the execution of the said Supreme Court judgement because it relates to land that was surveyed by the office of the Surveyor General.
He explained that “the said judgement was thus executed by the office of the Surveyor General and the boundary pillars were duly established on the boundary of the land in dispute per the judgement of the Supreme Court covering plan no. CR/C.928,” adding that, “the office of the Surveyor General of Cross River in the presence of the representatives of the two communities conducted a physical delineation and establishment of the boundaries of the land in dispute, as captured in survey plan no CR/C. 928.”
Ntoe Ayito, who reasoned that the outcome of this lawful and professionally supervised exercise had restored calm and ushered in peace within the affected area of the state capital, further informed that, “three months after the delineation, specifically January 19, 2026, a certain Anthony Effiom, acting as the Solicitor General of Cross River in the Attorney General’s office, issued a document to the effect that my community should vacate the entire Etap-Ayip Kasuk village land lying along the Jonathan bypass as the entire area belongs to Ikot Ansa.”
The monarch argued that the situation has become extremely volatile as the people of “Ikot Ansa on April 23, 2026 brought in caterpillars into the Etap-Ayip land in a manner that is likely to cause communal conflict,” adding that “the office of the state security officer was notified of this serious security threat which the office intervened immediately and arranged an interview where it advised parties to await the decision of the courts.”
The petitioner further alleged that, “one Francis Okon Effiom of Ikot Ansa acting on the instruction of the Attorney General ignored the pending cases in court by allowing a caterpillar to go ahead and do whatever it was hired to do on the land.”
Ayito averred that the brazen action by the Attorney General constitutes a flagrant disregard for the lawful boundary delineation by the office of the Surveyor General and a serious threat to public peace and security within the state capital, admitting also that it represents a direct violation of the subsisting judgement of the Supreme Court.
The Royal father informed that the people of Etap-Ayip Kasuk village are under immense provocation but have demonstrated maximum restraint in order not to cause a breach of the peace in the state.
He further called on the Cross River government to direct the deployment of security personnel to the affected area to halt all ongoing unlawful activities as well as ensure the arrest and investigation of all persons involved in this abuse of office and unlawful aggression.
