Man, 24 yrs missing in C’River, as farmers call for Gov. Otu’s intervention

From Ene Asuquo, Calabar

A cocoa farmer operating within Agbokim Waterfalls  community and Abonita government owned cocoa estate in Etung local government area of Cross River state, Mr. Mbu Liku,  has raised the alarm over  what he alleged as  missing worker named Mike surname name withheld

Mike according to Mbu Liku, who is 24 years old is said to be missing after a group of men purported to be taskforce operating within the Abonita cocoa  estate  stormed the  cocoa plantation, bundled  three of his  workers, who subsequently were thrown into  Ikom Area command police cell      

Mbu Liku raised the alarm while speaking on the issue in a telephone conversation with out reporter on Wednesday in Calabar.

“Njor Asu an indigene of  Agbokim, cannot come and inherit someone’s land at Ajassor, he should be called  to order so that he can stay off the  property.

“On Sunday July 28, 2024, I left the village for Calabar, the Cross River State capital, only  to be called that someone, sent some thugs on the pretense that they were members of a  taskforce to arrest anyone they find in my farm, and as the taskforce  got to the farm they succeeded in bundling  three of my workers ,and taken to the police  and left them in police custody.

“What I don’t understand is reason for the third worker who is by name Mike  not   among the three who are still in police custody.

“The question now is who are these members of   taskforce at  Abonita cocoa  the estate  given the fact that government has long disbanded the  task force which he set up. The question now is, who is behind
the task force.

“As I speak one of these workers is still missing, from what I gathered only two are in police custody with one still missing.

“From what I gathered, before my workers were finally whisked away by the said Taskforce, my workers seriously were intimidated and frightened as a result of sporadic gunshots in the air to get my workers scared.

“As I speak, one person is still missing, they brought out two, and I dint know what they have done to the third person. I have document.with me showing that government had disbanded the taskforce, so I don’t know if the one Mr. Asu Njor, had been parading with is his personal taskforce or that of government.

The 32 hectares cocoa plot which is in contention with the state government is a property of Ogar Asam’s family, the governor had in one of the  stakeholders meetings told  them not to include it among farms to
be allocated to allottees, “I have document to back up my claims he maintained.

Reacting to the allegations, Mr. Asu Njor, said “We saw two of their boys in our cocoa farm and we arrested them and handed them over to the police for stealing our cocoa”.

“They are living at Okundi, but we caught them right in our farm and handed them over to police any other person he is mentioning we don’t know about that, the two we arrested were caught harvesting our cocoa and we did what any law abiding citizen would have done by handing them to the Police.

Confirming the incident, the Investigating Police officer  (IPO), in the matter, Mr. Akparawu ( surname withheld)  and the Commander, Area command Ikom  Mr.Akanonu Frank,  said, “We have two of the suspects with us, we just released two of the suspects to them on the basis that  they were daily paid labourers and two are still with us.
“Don’t know what you are talking about a missing person. 
” He said.

In her reaction to the issue, Police PPRO SP Irene Ugbo said complaint is yet to be lodge with the command on missing worker.