No fewer than 80 militants operating in the creeks of Akpabuyo Local Government Area of Cross River State have voluntarily surrendered their arms and embraced the state government’s peace and reintegration Amnesty framework.
The militants came out in large numbers from the creeks on Friday at Atimbo Rear Area under Operation OKWOK, within the Area of Responsibility of Headquarters 13 Brigade, Nigerian Army and is already being described by as a strategic breakthrough in the fight against coastal militancy and maritime crime in southern Cross River.
Security sources told Akelicious that the surrender was the outcome of months of sustained military pressure combined with discreet dialogue involving community leaders, government officials and security agencies.
Two militant camps dismantled themselves in one coordinated move. The first camp, headed by ThankGod Ebikontei, popularly known as Ayibanuagha, presented 39 fighters. Four additional members, officials said, are expected to report in the coming days.
The second camp, commanded by John Isaac, alias Akpokolo, brought forward 41 fighters. His group, widely known along the waterways as the Akpokolo Marine Forces or “Border Boys,” had controlled large stretches of creeks linking Cross River to neighbouring coastal corridors.
Ten more of his fighters are also expected to join the amnesty process. In total, 80 militants formally stepped out of the creeks and into a state-supervised disarmament and rehabilitation programme.
