CALABAR – The wife of a front line Community Leader of Nkonib Qua Clan in Ikot Ansa, Calabar Municipality, Mrs Arit Maurice Omin-Iso, has appealed to those holding her husband, Chief Maurice Omin-Iso, to release him.
Converseer reports that the Chief Omin-Iso, a business mogul, was abducted from their residence on December 23, 2024, by armed men believed to be security operatives.
Speaking to reporters in Calabar, Mrs Omin-Iso expressed her concern over her husband’s disappearance, stating, “I want my husband back home to join us. Whoever is holding my husband hostage should please release him. Chief is a peaceful person who cannot even hurt a fly.”
Land Dispute Allegations
Chief Omin-Iso’s abduction is believed to be linked to a protracted land dispute involving the Nkonib Qua Clan and the Cross River State Government. The community leader, alongside another claimant, Ntufam Donatus Etim, had earlier won a court judgment granting them 23 hectares of communal land in compliance with a consent judgment in 2022.
Despite the ruling, disputes persisted as a faction led by Ntufam Paul Asim Ita sought to overturn the judgment. Subsequent legal actions by the faction were dismissed by the court. However, in April 2024, the state government controversially revoked the judgment, reallocating the land to Ita’s faction.
The legal battle continued, with Chief Omin-Iso and Ntufam Etim challenging the state government’s actions in court under Suit No. HC/86/2024. The judgment in the case is pending.
Allegations of State Involvement
Chief Omin-Iso’s lead counsel, Chief Obono Obla, has accused the Attorney General of Cross River State, Mr Edemdem Charles Ani, of being complicit in the community leader’s abduction. Obla claimed the Attorney General admitted during a phone conversation that Omin-Iso was arrested and detained by the Department of State Security (DSS) for allegedly becoming a security risk.
In contrast, the Attorney General has denied these allegations, dismissing them as baseless and defamatory. He stated there is no record of judgments favouring Chief Omin-Iso against the state on land or chieftaincy issues.
Court Orders DSS to Produce Community Leader
Justice Ijeoma Ojukwu of the Federal High Court, Calabar, in Suit No. FHC/CA/CS/3/2025, ordered the DSS and the Attorney General to produce Chief Omin-Iso in court on January 15, 2025. Despite this, the community leader’s whereabouts remain unknown, leaving his family and community in anguish.
Community Reactions
The Community Youth Leader, Mbora Bassey, accused government officials of orchestrating the abduction to influence the ongoing land dispute. “This is an attempt to silence Chief Maurice Omin-Iso for standing firm against injustice,” he said.
The case continues to draw widespread attention, with calls for accountability and the safe release of the abducted community leader.