Two Peace Advocates and Communicators have revealed that 16 out of 18 local government areas of Cross River State are engulfed in communal clashes.
Efio Ita Nyok and Ukorebi Essien spoke at a one-day capacity-building workshop for journalists and social media influencers on Peace journalism and crisis reporting.
Teaching the basics of journalism and crisis reporting, the social crusaders reported that in the course of community research and peace advocacy, it found that only Calabar South LGA and Municipality had no pronounced communal skirmish.
“We work for a Civil Society Organization, Partners for Peace in the Niger Delta. We have traversed the length and breadth of the 18 LGAs and have discovered that there are conflict situations in 15 or 16 LGAs.
“Most community conflicts in our state have a bearing on farmlands and resurface mostly during the wet season when the people prepare for farming.”
On his part, Nyok called on journalists not to report with bias and intent to polarize issues at stake but aim to proffer solutions or create rooms for peace and dialogues.
“Peace Journalism should ensure a solution to a given crisis and not entrench bitterness and polarization.
“We should look into all issues in the matter by digging deep so that the report can provide leeway for authorities to intervene.”
National Secretary for the group, Moses Abang said most conflicts are under-reported, adding that they have intervened in many local crises that have led to amicable settlement between communities.