In a striking declaration, the Cross River State Government has directed blame at social media influencers for exacerbating the ongoing communal clashes between the Iso-Bendeghe and Boje communities in the Boki Local Government Area. This unrest, stemming from a land dispute that has lingered for over a decade, has witnessed recurring outbreaks of violence, resulting in numerous fatalities, widespread property destruction, and the displacement of countless families.
Despite previous peace accords and the deployment of security forces, the conflict continues to evade a lasting resolution. Speaking from Calabar on Thursday, just days before the upcoming Boki New Yam Festival on August 18, Erasmus Ekpang, the state Commissioner for Information and Orientation, asserted that misleading and sensationalized posts on social media have significantly escalated tensions within the affected communities.
“What you read on social media about the conflict is not 100 percent true of what is happening in the communities. Social media users are the ones escalating this conflict. They are fanning the embers of war,” Ekpang stated, underscoring the impact of online narratives on real-world events.
The decade-long dispute, which intensified dramatically in 2010, has claimed many lives, destroyed properties, and forced residents to evacuate their homes. Efforts by former Governor Liyel Imoke to mitigate the violence included the seizure of disputed lands, yet hostilities have continued unabated.
In his impassioned plea, Ekpang called upon the youths of both communities to lay down their weapons and pursue peace instead of violence. He emphasized, “Killing one another and taking lives you cannot create is not ideal.” He assured his commitment to collaborating with community leaders and the Ochibe Boki traditional council to facilitate a full return to normalcy and restore harmony to the region.
