Ekid Nation has petitioned the AGF, NSA, DGSS and IG of police, asking Ibeno people to peacefully quit the land they are occupying illegally, stating that their present abode belongs to Ekid people.
The quit notice was part of a submission of Ekid People’s Union (EPU) to the Akwa Ibom State Land Use Allocation Committee which sat at Uyo, the State capital, on Thursday, January 16, 2025.
The position paper signed by Dr Samuel Udonsak, EPU President General stated, “It is with the permission of the Paramount Rulers of Eket and Esit Eket, and the Power of Attorney (PA) granted by Ekid people that the Ekid People’s Union (EPU) is representing Ekid people (Eket and Esit Eket) here in this committee today”,
“The land occupied by Ibeno people today is ekid land. Undoubtedly so by the Privy Council judgment of 1918. We take the liberty of this meeting to put Ibeno and your committee on notice that we have petitioned the AGF, NSA, DGSS and IG of police that they are occupying our land illegally and must quit peacefully. We have also intimated to them of our resolve to recover our land peacefully”,
“You are aware that we are in court on the matter of BUA’s criminal encroachment of our land and we are pleased to inform you that the request by the State’s Director of Civil Litigations (DCL) to settle the matter out of court met with the consent of the Ekid people”,
EPU congratulated BUA for the epoch-making investment, and considering the importance of Refinery/Petrochemical plants and, particularly, the place of refinery products in Nigeria’s economy, Ekid people would wholeheartedly support the BUA project to succeed, it stated.
“Regrettably, the government misled BUA as it stilinues to mislead other investment concerns in the Stubbs Creek Forest. It is our prayer and hopes that this committee would urge itself and the government to desist from its wanton, irregular, illegal, and criminal confiscation/usurpation of Ekid land in the Stubbs Creek Forest (Akoiyak Ekid)”
“Their Majesties, Edidem E.C.D.Abia and Edidem Peter Assam, our revered Paramount Rulers, hope that our informed, instructive, and true position today will be conveyed to the government. And that government would find it helpful in fashioning out a viable and peaceful investment model in the economically endowed, oil and mineral rich Stubbs Creek Forest”,
“For no meaningful investment, development, or peace can occur in the Stubbs Creek Forest or its corridor without justice, equity, and fair play. The same would apply if we want to arrive at an amicable, peaceful, and enduring out-of-court settlement of the BUA case with Ekid People”,
“The ownership of the Stubb’s Creek Forest (Akoiyak Ekid) was determined in perpetuity in 1918. It is a judgement in rem. No edict, gazette document, or executive order can be superior to a concluded apex court judgment”
“Avail yourself of the Privy Council judgment and the map of the Stubb’s Creek Forest today and know peace. For by that judgement, the swamps and shoreline from the mouth of the Qua Iboe River to Child Point (Okposo) belong to the Ekid people( Southern Ibibios) At no time in this life will the Stubbs Creek Forest or any part thereof belong to Ibeno, or anyone else without the express consent of the Ekid people”,
“The Forest Reserve Ordinance of 1948 and its amended version (1953) was not an acquisition of the Stubbs Creek Forest, which is Ekid land. No documents exist to the contrary. GOVERNMENT HAS NEVER ACQUIRED THE STUBBS CREEK FOREST (AKOIYAK EKID) So the Stubbs Creek Forest/ Reserve belongs to the Ekid people and by the apex court judgement of 1918, we would exercise this ownership in perpetuity”,
“The Constitution and relevant laws of Nigeria state clearly how governments can acquire land. It would be for overriding public interest and only for overriding public interest. The law does not permit governments to grab people’s land or to confiscate people’s lands for private business enterprises like BUA”,
“In the context of the Privy Council Judgment and the Forest Reserve Ordinance; a legal and regular acquisition of any parcel of land in the SCF means that the government must first dereserve the area of interest, the interested party would meet the land owners (Ekid) for lease terms, then government would issue the certificate of occupancy. Nothing more and nothing less”,
“Please see and study the Akamkpa Forest Reserve and how land is acquired there. The Stubbs Creek Forest Reserve is not the only reserved Forest in Nigeria and can not be treated differently because it is owned by Ekid”,
“ExxonMobil QIT is situated in the Stubbs Creek Forest Reserve. It was first dereserved, then the land acquired and compensation paid to the Ekid people who are the landowners of the Stubbs Creek Forest. We can avail you of the documents if you do not have them. This is how land can be acquired in the SCF, and nobody should be cajoled by greed or lack of knowledge to regard Ibeno as land owners of the Stubbs Creek Forest (Akoiyak Ekid) NEVER!”,
“That is what BUA ought to have done and must now do. Identify the area of interest and meet the land owners ( Ekid people), and we would be delighted to meet with them. With the secured lease terms from Ekid, the landowners, BUA, would then approach the government for land titles as appropriate. ANYTHING LESS THAN THAT AMOUNTS TO CRIMINAL ENCROACHMENT AND EKID PEOPLE WILL RESIST IT UNTIL ETERNITY”,
Again, and for clarity, BUA should meet the Government for the reservation, then the land owners(Ekid) for the lease agreement, and then the government would issue C of O.
“Their Majesties are aware that the government, through this committee, has allocated parcels of land in the Stubbs Creek Forest, property of Ekid People, to various concerns like the Chinese mining company, landmark beach resort, etc. In the eyes of the Law and Ekid people; these are grossly irregular and illegal. And, any structures on them or activities carried out there are illegal and would be demolished or stopped; if not now, then certainly in the future. Please be informed”, it stated.
EPU concluded that “this meeting would only be meaningful after BUA meets its fair and equitable obligations to the Ekid people as their land owners”.
