Cocoa Farmer Tasks  DSS to investigate alleged Workers’ Attack  In C’River  

From Ene Asuquo, Calabar

A small holder cocoa farmer operating at Abonita Cocoa farm, in Etung local government area of Cross River State, Mr. Mark Prince, has called  on the State Director, Department of State Services (DSS), Mrs. Roseline Izuagbe, to  Investigate  alleged attack of his six  workers  by a  rival farmer who inflicted various degree of injuries on his workers  at  the contentious 32 hectares Abonita cocoa estate belonging to the state government 

Mark Prince made the call during an interactive session with journalists in Calabar, stressing that the injured workers are currently receiving treatment at General Hospital Ikom, Cross River State.

He accused Gov, Otu’s Special Adviser on  Security  Matters, Rtd. Major General Okoi Obono, of compromising the security situation at  the Abonita cocoa estate, where he shared a boundary with  government Cocoa estate in the area, calling for investigation into the matter and sanction given to culprits.

“I am calling on the director, State Security  Services ( DSS), because there is no way you can sit at the comfort of your home  and put up a document, stopping the  army that used to patrol at the Abonita axis, protecting lives and property of citizens from patrolling any longer  because  you want your personal interest to be protected”.

“As I speak, if you go into the farms now, you will see Njor’s thugs parading with arms in the cocoa farm. If this is not checked, I foresee outbreak of lawlessness at Abonita axis between Agborkim and Ajassor neighboring communities at the nearest future.

“Don’t you know that persistent attack can cause war between the two sisters communities of  Ajassor and Agborki, Because, there is no way you  machete people like this and we mobilized for revenge that it won’t result to a communal war.

“I am calling on the state governor, Bassey Otu, to ask his State Security Adviser, Rtd Major General Okoi Obono to explain to him, why he halted the Nigerian  army from patrolling at Abonita cocoa estate known for criminal activities.

“We have instances where a criminal commits a crime and we incident the matter at the Divisional Police Headquarters at Effraya, Etung local government of the state, the matter will quickly be transferred to Zone 6 police Command Calabar, or Abuja. Before you know it,
victims suddenly turn to suspects”. He maintained.

Narrating his ordeal, one of the victims Mr. Kelly Abang, who spoke on behalf of others at Ikom  General Hospital said,”I go to do work for Mark Prince  cocoa farm yesterday and one  man called Chilo met us in the bush and asked us about the owner of the farm and we  told him we are labourers  working for Mark Prince.

“He demanded that I should call our master, Mr. Mark Prince because he wants to speak with him. And I responded to his demand and i put a call across to Mark Prince and they spoke with each other. And thereafter, Mr. Chilo  ( ASU Njor) asked us to continue with our work and he left in company of the boys.

“Only for him to return back about 30 minutes later in company of armed young men who tortured us squarely  and inflicted  injuries on us with machetes.

In his reaction, the  accused, Mr. Asu Njor (Chilo), denied any involvement in the attack stressing that he was in Càlabar and not at  Abonita farm on the day that Mark Prince’s workers  claimed  they  attacked  adding that he had no hands in the matter.

Reacting, Gov Otu’s Special Adviser on Security Matters Maj.Gen Rtd. Okoi Obono, denied compromise of security situation at the estate, as alleged  stressing that he had asked police to commence investigation.