An important civil rights group in Akwa Ibom State, the Oro Youth Movement, has urged the state government to avoid any further efforts to redraw the borders of the Oro nation, stating that such efforts would be fought with the "last drop of our blood."

Recall that the state legislature had already enacted the "State Map Establishment Bill" into law and was now waiting on the governor's approval.

But the group expressed resentment over the alleged desperation of the state governor to assent to the bill despite public outcry and a court injunction in a statement by its National President, Edet Eyo, which was made available to our correspondent in Uyo, the state capital, on Thursday.

Parts of the statement read, “Ordinarily, the Oro Youth Movement would have ignored this issue but not for the recent chat by the Executive Governor of Akwa Ibom State, His Excellency Mr Udom Gabriel Emmanuel, during a prayer session at the government house in Uyo, to the effect of stating that he required no one’s opinion and no amount of coercion or meetups will stop him from signing the bill into law, this constitutes an abuse of office and public trust.

“It is indeed very surprising for the number one citizen of the state to make such a public statement that Akwa Ibom State has never had a map before now. One, therefore, wonders on which basis the state was delineated and created in 1987 and the subsequent 31 Local Government Areas that followed.

“It would be recalled that a High Court in the state presided over by Hon Justice Edem E. Akpan on 27th January 2022 in Suit No: HU/341/2021 between JOSEPH DANIEL EKOYORK & OTHERS instituted by Obolo People against Akwa Ibom State, Akwa Ibom State House of Assembly and the Surveyor – General of Akwa Ibom State in resistance to attempt at purported redrawing and/remapping of Local Government Areas in the State as affecting Eastern Obolo, Mbo, Ibeno and Okobo Local Government Areas.

“The trial judge entered judgement and relief of the claimants was granted with orders prohibiting the defendant from remapping the claimant’s affected Local Government Areas.

“It is therefore in the light of the foregoing, that we hereby warn in strong terms that any attempt to tamper with, delineate or remap/redraw the boundary of Mbo, or any local government in Oro Nation shall be vehemently resisted with the last drop of our blood”