By Nsan Ndoma-Neji
Youth leader, Agbokim Waterfalls in Etung local government area of Cross River State, Comrade Williams Akam Takon, has called on authorities of the 13 Brigade Nigerian Army, Calabar, to cautioned its personnel in Afi Barracks Edor, Ikom local government area from intimidating community locals residing in their ancestral home.
The youth leader made the appeal on Tuesday at Agbokim while reacting to the presence of military personnel trooping to the community on daily basis.
Takon claimed that the community locals are always intimidated at the slightest provocation, sighting an instance where the uniformed men stormed the community in an unholy hour claiming to look for one of the youths, Mr Akem Aganchawa.
According to him, they broke into the victim’s house in search of Mr Akem Aganchawa who is said to be at large as of the time of fielding this report.
“We used to have some peaceful military men with us who are said to be military intelligence, of course they were friendly and so calm. They were like brothers to this community, unfortunately the reverse is the case now.
“The military personnel entering our community since July this year, they come with hostility, intimidation and sometimes even end up flogging the community locals, especially if they are unable to apprehend the individual that had been penciled down for arrest.”
Also speaking on the harassment and intimidation of community, a stakeholder in the area, Mr Asu Njoh, said it was unfortunate for people who were supposed to give protection to the locals are the same persons intimidating the locals.
Our correspondent who visited the Agbokim Waterfalls community in the course of doing this report saw a group of heavily armed men in army uniform patrolling Agbokim Caraboat on motorcycles.
One of the community locals, Mr Chris Ephraim who spoke with our correspondent at Agbokim Caraboat (farm settlement) alleged that the soldiers were being used by a certain cocoa farmer to intimate another farmer struggling hectares of cocoa with him.
Reacting to the issue, Army Public Relations Officer, 13 Brigade headquarters Akim Barracks Calabar, Captain Jamila Jumoh, denied the allegations, stressing that the only incident she is aware of was an incident concerning a kidnapping and the military authority raided the place and found some exhibits.
“Anyone accusing the military of backing someone with military affiliation should come to the Barracks to make complaint,” the PRO stressed.