Cross River Earshot Into Boki Oil Palm Estate Killings

Source: Vanguard 

The Judicial Commission of Inquiry set up by the Cross River State Government to investigate the immediate and remote causes of loss of lives and destruction of property by some youths at the oil palm estate in Boki Local Government Area of the state has begun hearing.

The commission inaugurated by Governor Ben Ayade has one month to submit its report.

According to Vanguard, the oil palm estate, which is surrounded by four landlord communities, Oku, Borum, Irruan and Osokom, had been in crisis since March 2017 when some owners of plots in the estate resisted the takeover of the estate by some government officials when their rent had not expired.

This led to division among the youths in the area who then took up arms and formed different groups, which have been fighting for the control of the estate.

Chairman of the Commission, Justice Maurice Eneji, said that the commission was set up to receive memoranda from stakeholders from the area, highlighting the immediate and remote causes of the crisis.

Eneji said that the terms of reference of the commission were to investigate the activities of the past administration of the oil palm estate and get the exact number of those killed and worth of property destroyed.

He added that the commission would also recommend for possible prosecution of the actors behind the crisis, advice the government on how best to manage the oil palm estate and possible compensation for the families of those been killed.