The Federal Government has pledged to resettle the people of Bakassi.
Traditional rulers, youth and leaders of Bakkasi, have been advised to avoid taking laws into their hands.
The Interior Minister, Abba Moro, gave the advice on Friday at Ikot Effiom at the maiden visit of the Presidential Committee on the Resettlement of the Displaced Bakassi People to Ikot Effiom Local Government Council of Cross River State.
The minister, who was greeted with placards-carrying people, re-assured them of government’s plan to fully resettle them.
The people carried placards with various inscriptions demanding for where they should be resettled.
Moro said: “I can see people carrying placards here and I should say here that there should be no breakdown of law and order.”
“We are here to hear from all sides and make recommendations to the Vice President who set up the committee.
“We have been holding meetings in Abuja and it would not be proper for us to reach any decision without visiting the affected area.
“I can assure you that the recommendations we will make shall be fair and thorough,” he added.
Mr. Moro told the people that the committee would look at all the areas being suggested as the accepted resettlement for them before taking a decision.
“Beyond that, I want the leaders to act in unity as the priority of government is to see to the welfare of the people before looking at the international dimension of the matter.”
In his remarks, the Chairman of the Committee, Efiok Cobham, assured that the Federal Government was determined to resettle the people once and for all.
Mr. Cobham, the Deputy Governor of Cross River, recalled that the Vice President, Namadi Sambo, set up the committee on December 13, 2012. He appealed to the people to cooperate with government to actualise the objectives of the committee.
“The interest of the government is the people, and you must cooperate with government to make sure that all your interests are taken care of,’’ he said.
The Chairman of Bakassi Local Government Area, Ekpo Bassey, said that government had since constructed 300 houses for the displaced people, among other facilities.
The Paramount Ruler of Bakassi, Etiyin Edet, said that the only place the people of Bakassi could live in peace and unity would be in Dayspring.
The team planned to visit Dayspring 1, where Senator Florence Ita-Giwa had specifically appealed to the Federal Government to resettle the displaced people.
(NAN)
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