The Cross River State Police Command said it will soon move into Biakpan and Etono communities in Biase Local Government Area for a major disarmament operation following months of renewed violence and refusal by local leaders to cooperate with peace efforts.

Commissioner of Police, Olusegun Omosanyin, disclosed this while speaking in a telephone interview with The Guardian in Calabar, Thursday.

He stated that the operation has become necessary following the failure of neighboring communities to embrace reconciliation efforts despite the interventions of various security agencies and concerned individuals.

Witnesses and other sources have reported that the resurgence of deadly clashes between both communities in the last three months has resulted in fewer than 40 persons losing their lives.

The commissioner summoned the Chairman of Biase LGA, Edodi Edodi Eyong, as well as traditional rulers and youth leaders from both communities to the state police command headquarters in Calabar on Wednesday in connection with the crisis.

He revealed that earlier invitations to the youth leaders were ignored, which he described as an act of defiance that will no longer be tolerated.

“We cannot continue to witness these wanton killings. No Nigerian has the right to take another life under the provisions of the Constitution. I warned them that their conduct is pushing the government to the edge,” Omosanyin said.

“We will move into both communities and disarm their gunmen. If they refuse to surrender their weapons peacefully, we will initiate a full-scale disarmament operation involving all armed forces in the state.”

He added that the state government and other security agencies have made several attempts to restore peace, including recent visits by the State Security Adviser (South) and the Deputy Commissioner of Police.

“Biakpan and Etono 2 have been a major security concern. Biakpan claims they have a Supreme Court judgment authorizing their acquisition of Etono 2, but that is not the issue at hand now,” he said.

Sources allege that the violence escalated following claims that the council chairman, Eyong, led gunmen to destroy properties belonging to prominent Biakpan indigenes, including worship centers owned by the spiritual leader of the Brotherhood of the Cross and Star, His Holiness Olumba Olumba Obu.

The move was allegedly based on suspicions that arms were being stockpiled at those locations.