By Magnus Effiong
As crisis in Henshaw Town community of Calabar South continues without any hope of reconciliation in sight, a retired High Court Judge, Justice Charles Efanga Archibong, has accused the Police of bias and therefore appealed to Gov Bassey Otu to intervene in the lingering Henshaw Town crisis.
Recall that the Commissioner of Police had in Suit No. MC/350120/2025, last week, slammed a six-count charge on Justice Archibong, Andem Abasi Ekeng, Michael Effangha, Effangha Okon and others.
They were charged for felony, threat to life, intrusion into Esierebom land, destruction of plantain farm belonging to HRM Etubom Nyong Efiom Okon (Paramount Ruler of Calabar South), amongst others.
However, in a letter, sited by our reporter, and addressed to Gov Otu, Justice Archibong and his people sought an audience with the Governor to ascertain ways of nibbling in the mud the incessant crisis, alleging that the Police Commissioner was taking sides.
“We are a community council in the local government area of Calabar South of Efik extraction, Henshaw Town being a principality of Efik Eburutu Kingdom.
“We hereby request an audience with the Governor to discuss burning issues which touch upon the peaceable existence of people in our community.
“This request for an audience is made after several attempts to amicably resolve differences have failed. We think at this point, and indeed for quite a while now, guidance from the government would be beneficial to and for our community,” he stated.
He further alleged that “The CP has, at the instance of a powerful and monied complainant decided to criminalize a civil dispute over land,” and also alleged that the Paramount Ruler was the mastermind of the crisis in the community.
Etubom Archibong said the request for an audience with the Governor “follows upon instances of malicious prosecution of Henshaw Town Council functionaries, sponsored by Etubom Nyong Efiom Okon.”
In another letter addressed to the Attorney-General/Commissioner for Justice, Justice Archibong said, “We ask for the Hon. Attorney General’s intervention.”
Efforts to speak with the Police Public Relation Officer, DSP Irene Ugbo, on the allegations did not succeed as her telephone line could not connect.
However, in an interaction, the Paramount Ruler of Calabar South, HRM (Etubom) Nyong Efiom Okon, denied faning embers of crisis in the community.
He said he was not averse to peaceful resolution of the crisis as he had tried to bring every aggrieved person together to no avail.
“Few years ago, we had a reconciliatory meeting where we made peace at the Henshaw Town Council Hall. Hundreds of our people were there for that occasion and were happy to see peace returned to the community. I know how much resources I spent in that occasion.
“Surprisingly, few days after that event, another pandemonium broke out. I was again dragged to court but thanks be the Almighty God who vindicated me. I am not an enemy of peace but in some cases, it is good to allow the law to take its course,” he stated
PillarToday reports that the Henshaw Town crisis, which started in 2018/19 over succession to the position of Henshaw Town Council (HTC) President, has pitched the once united residents of the community against one another.
Henshaw Town Council (HTC) was formed in 1901 to adjudicate and preside over communal matters for peace and unity. The leadership of the HTC had carried out that role religiously until 2018/2019.
When the crisis erupted, the Nigerian Police and the Department of State Service, DSS, were brought into the matter but peace had remained evasive. Since then, multiple court cases have become the order of the day even as certain individuals also elected to take the law into their own hands with bad blood and unparallelled animosity reigning uncontrollably.
Investigations indicated that the crisis has polarized the once united community and had resulted in the locking up of the Henshaw Town Council secretariat located at No 1 Inyang Ekeng street, and imprisonment of some high-ranking personalities.
The initial wave of court cases had lingered with uncertainty in the horizon before it was finally settled out of court with a peace agreement which were never really honoured by the parties involved.
Whether or not the Governor would wade into the matter remains to be seen, and until that happens, the people of Henshaw Town would continue to bear the brunt of the crisis because, as they say, when two elephants fight, the grass and trees suffer.
