By; PATRICK TITUS, Uyo
Ukanafun and Etim Ekpo local government areas of Akwa Ibom State have become haven for criminals carrying out their nefarious activities and walking away unhurt. At each attack, the innocent ones especially victims are usually left in agony of the loss too difficult to accommodate.
Facts remain that these areas have had many unresolved political motivated murder cases and cult activities where many lives have been taken, property destroyed, even when the police keep assuring the public of being on top of the situation with strategies to bring the culprits to book.
In Ukanafun currently, the entire area is moody following the assassination of Mr. Ime Atakpa, secretary to the local government area transition committee on Easter Sunday by unknown gunmen at his residence in the area. Also shot dead by same gangster, was his personal aide known as “Warrior”
Late Atakpa, assumed the office of the secretary to the council few weeks ago. Political class in the area linked his death to alleged political tussle between him and those who opposed his appointment to the council by the state governor, Mr. Udom Emmanuel.
Another sad incident occurred on a Palm Sunday when another industrious son, educationist and philanthropist in the area, Dr. Idongesit Udom who is a proprietor of Sure Foundation Polytechnic located in the area, was kidnapped by gunmen.
These happened barely few weeks that the Village Head of Ikot Anta Eneng Obo in the area, Chief Umaheyo was murdered in his palace by alleged youth group over the choice of who should be the president of the Village’s Youth Council.
As at when filing this report, Dr. Udom’s whereabouts was yet known by the family. His abductors are said to be demanding N500 million ransoms from the family to secure his release.
He was kidnapped while walking to the Qua Iboe Church located almost opposite his compound in Idung Nneke Village, Ukanafun Local Government Area.
Dr. Udom, who retired as Manager of ExxonMobil and Chairman of the Church Board of Trustee, had no idea of what was going to befall him on that day. A day which was billed for the dedication of his cousins Mr. Aniebiet Emmanson Udom’s new born baby.
Expectedly, everybody was in a joyful mood for the baby’s dedication, and a lot of guests were expected in the church that day.
Qua Iboe Church, Idung Nneke Village covers distance of about two minutes walk from Idongesit Udom’s residence.
According to eyewitnesses, the abductors of Idongesit Udom arrived the village as early as 7am unknown to them and parked their Siena Saloon Car close to the victim’s residence.
They said the abductors while parking in wait for their victim to come out, pretended as if their vehicle had fault. They said the abductors kept open the bonnet of their Siena Salon car and were busy around the engine area, to give the impression that the car had overheating problem.
At about 9am, when they saw their victim coming out and walking to the church, they quickly covered the bonnet of their car, drove very fast and blocked him close to the entrance to the Church.
On meeting him, the hoodlums, who were about four in number armed with assorted ammunitions, stopped him and told him to enter their car.
When he asked them what was happening, and wanted to resist, they started shooting into the air and dragged him into the car. On hearing the gun shots, his first and second sons, Barr Emefen Udom and Mr. Ubokutom Udom, together with other people came out, but couldn’t stand the spraying bullets from the hoodlums. When they succeeded scaring away everybody, they thereafter sped off towards the road leading to Nyak Iba village on the outskirt of the local government area.
Investigations by our correspondent showed that prior to his abduction, there had been some issues related to youth groups in the village, where a section of the youths was said to be making some evil statements against him and other well meaning members of the village.
Some villagers, who spoke on grounds of anonymity, said that the same youths had earlier sent a threat letter to him and also to the village head, Chief Ezekiel Frank Udom, telling them that they would deal with them if they continue to get involved in youth matters in the village.
Dr Udom, it was learnt, has been of tremendous blessing to the youths and entire people of the Idung Nneke Village. He has provided employment to many, given scholarships to indigent students and helped a lot of others in their various trades
Police Public relations officer in the state, DSP Chukwu Ikechukwu when contacted said, police command is intensifying search to fish out those involved.
He however has not confirmed any arrest, contrary to speculations that some suspects have been arrested by the police in connection to the incidents.
Also, the state government was yet make a statement on these unfortunate developments, contrary to the hope of people of the state, apparently suggesting that the state is peaceful whereas not with over 25 cult groups operating in the state, according to police report.
It would be recalled that the state house of assembly had during the administration of the immediate past Governor Godswill Akpabio, passed a bill into law. The law gives death sentence to any person convicted of kidnapping and such other related offence in the state.
So far, nobody has been convicted or sentenced to death or kill under this law to serve as a deterrent to others.
An Uyo based lawyer, Godwin Udofia of Glowin Chambers attributed the development to the clumsy count charges made against suspects by the prosecutors, thereby providing escape route for suspects because all count charges must be proved beyond all reasonable doubt to warrant conviction or sentence.
According to Udofia, in Nigeria unlike Britain, the accused person is given too many count charges whereas the prosecutors will not have evidence to proof all the charges, thereby making the accused not culpable to conviction by law.
“Rather it is good to arraign a fellow is suspects with few count charges, a maximum of five where the prosecution can have effective evidence to secure conviction and not this jumbo count charges such as 45, 50 which at the end of the day you cannot lead enough evidence to secure conviction in not even one of the charges” Bar. Udofia told our correspondent.
