Natives of Ibeno local government area in Akwa Ibom State have condemned the alleged attempt by its Ekid neighbours to block the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway project.
In a solidarity march on Saturday, youths and elders of Ibeno said that they would resist any attempt to stop the project from passing through the disputed Stubb’s Creeks Forest land.
The Ekid comprising Eket and Esit Eket local government areas had penultimate week published a caveat emptor warning against the use of the Stubb’s Creeks, claiming ownership of the area.
But the Ibeno people insisted that Stubb’s Creeks Forest is their ancestral heritage, hence the Ekid people cannot stop the FG from building the coastal highway on it.
They displayed placards with various inscriptions some of which read, “You cannot claim what you never owned”, “Build the Coastal Highway through Ibeno”, “Infrastructure brings prosperity”, and “Peace over false claims”.
Others included: “Ibeno is the true Host of Stubb’s Creeks”, “Ibeno is investors-friendly”, “Landlords don’t make noise”, “Host status is not by proximity but by history”, among others.
Spokesperson of Ibeno Elders Forum, Mr. Diamond Akpanika, a lawyer, who spoke with reporters said Ibeno people are solidly in support of the coastal road project and would resist any attempt to stalk it.
“First of all you have seen the Ibeno people come out in white attires and white signifies peace. So we have come out to display the peaceful character and nature of every Ibeno person.
“We are peacefully rallying our support for the President of Nigeria for even conceiving the though of constructing a coastal highway all the way from Lagos to Calabar which will fortunately pass through Ibeno.
“And so we are supporting the project and also congratulating the Senate President and the Governor of Akwa Ibom State for making it necessary for the road to pass through Ibeno.
“Of course we are a coastal community. It would have been an anomaly for the coastal highway not to have passed through Ibeno. And so we welcome that”.
The youth president Ijaw Youth Council, Ibeno branch, Captain Okpumomi Emmanuel, said that Ibeno youths would not fold their hands and allow anyone truncate the coastal road project.
