Cross River Government Blames Social Media for Escalating Boki Communal Clashes

The Cross River State Government has attributed the ongoing communal violence between the Iso-Bendeghe and Boje communities in Boki Local Government Area to the activities of social media influencers. Authorities claim that online posts have worsened the situation, reigniting tensions in a land dispute that has spanned over a decade.

Despite multiple peace efforts and the deployment of security forces, the conflict remains unresolved, with recurrent clashes resulting in loss of lives, destruction of homes, and displacement of residents. The unrest, which intensified in 2010, has defied lasting solutions, including a past intervention by former Governor Liyel Imoke who confiscated the disputed land in a bid to quell the violence.

Speaking in Calabar on Thursday ahead of the upcoming Boki New Yam Festival on August 18, the Commissioner for Information and Orientation, Erasmus Ekpang, criticized misleading narratives on social media for inflaming the crisis. “What you read on social media about the conflict is not entirely accurate. These users are the ones escalating the crisis and promoting hostility,” he stated.

Ekpang urged young people from both communities to renounce violence and embrace dialogue, emphasizing that taking lives is not a path to justice or peace. He appealed for restraint and peaceful coexistence moving forward.

He further assured that the state government would collaborate with traditional authorities, including the Ochibe Boki council and local leaders, to restore lasting peace and stability in the affected areas.