UPENEKANG – The Ibeno Clan Council has called on the Akwa Ibom State Government and security agencies to closely monitor the activities of the Ekid People’s Union (EPU), warning that its purported declaration of a “Doctrine of Necessity” could threaten peace and stability in the state.

Speaking in Upenekang on Sunday, the Council’s Secretary, Chief Okon Udofia, described recent statements by EPU President, Dr. Samuel Udonsak, on the ownership of the Stubbs Creek Forest Reserve as provocative and capable of undermining ongoing peace efforts championed by Governor Umo Eno.

The Council maintained that historical records, court judgments, official maps and government documents clearly establish Ibeno’s ownership of more than 70 per cent of the disputed reserve, insisting that only the National Boundary Commission has the constitutional authority to determine territorial boundaries.

Chief Udofia alleged that EPU’s “Doctrine of Necessity” amounted to a subtle call for confrontation and a challenge to constituted authority, urging security agencies to remain vigilant.

He also accused the union of abandoning legal and peace processes while pursuing campaigns capable of heightening tensions in the area.

Reaffirming Ibeno’s commitment to peaceful coexistence, the Council called on all parties to respect established boundaries and embrace dialogue as the only path to lasting peace and development.

It also congratulated President Bola Tinubu, Senate President Godswill Akpabio and Governor Umo Eno on Nigeria’s 27 years of uninterrupted democracy and their third anniversary in office.