The senator representing Cross River north senatorial district, Senator Jarigbe Agom Jarigbe has called for peaceful coexistence amongst Agrarian communities.
Senator Jarigbe, in a statement, also advocated for increased security presence within crisis ridden areas to safeguard lives and property of innocent citizens.
Jarigbe, who condemned in strong terms the demise of an innocent citizen of a community in Benue State that shared boundary with another Agrarian village within Cross River State, described as unacceptable the unaliving of an innocent citizen during recent communal tensions.
According to Jarigbe, the attack on the man, which led to his demise by irate youths from a community in Obudu local area of Cross River State was “senseless, tragic and unjustifiable that must be met with the full wrath of the law.
“I call on the security agencies – the Nigeria Police Force and the Department of State Services to take decisive action to apprehend the perpetrators of this heinous act and ensure they face the full consequences of the law.
“Deploy additional security personnel to the affected areas to prevent further escalation and protect innocent lives; engage community leaders from both Obudu and Tsar (Benue State) to de-escalate tensions and foster dialogue for lasting peace,” he stated.
Senator Jarigbe further stated, “this communal clash must not extend beyond the disputed areas. Our people in Cross River north and Benue State have lived together for generations – intermarrying, trading and coexisting peacefully.
He urged all peace loving Nigerian citizens within the two communities to collaborate with security agents for the restoration of peace that would foster development, saying “we must not allow the actions of a few criminals to destroy this longstanding harmony and put our people at risk.
“I urge all residents to remain calm and law-abiding while security agencies restore order. Retaliatory attacks will only worsen the situation and must be avoided at all costs,” he reasoned.
While consoling the family of the deceased, Senator Jarigbe added, “I assure the people of Tsar Community and all residents of Cross River north that I will work tirelessly with relevant stakeholders to ensure justice is served and peace is restored.”