*another source links clash to sharing of political giveaway
By; PATRICK TITUS, Uyo
Normal socio-economic activities around ibom Plaza area in Uyo, the Akwa Ibom State capital were halted for hours on Tuesday night, with lives and property allegedly lost, while many sustained injuries during crisis involving two cult groups.
It was gathered that the rival cult groups, Vikings and Mafians confraternities, embarked on a killing spree of rival members at about 6:30 pm, and lasted for about two hours, before Police operatives and a detachment of soldiers standing guard at the plaza since the #EndSARS protests last year, arrived to restore normalcy.
Eye witnesses whom many of them are tricycle operators, were seen discussing among themselves the scene, linked the remote cause of the violence to a minor disagreement at a BetNaija shop, along Ikot Ekpene road by the Plaza area, recalled that the incident triggered the old animosity between the rival groups.
According to them, “One cultist, a member of the Vickings confraternity had placed a bet to the tune of N5,000, but could not pay after he lost. The shop attendant asked him to pay or drop his phone, but he refused and, instead, call his gang members on phone, who came, pounced on the attendant and raided the shop.”
They added that the resultant reprisal from the camp of the booking man, said to belong to the Mafians group, led to a free -for-al fight, with three persons killed; two at the Plaza area and one at the Ikpa road junction, close to the University of Uyo (UNIUYO) town campus, while two others, had earlier been killed at Okokon Etuk Street within Uyo City centre.
But another source, the Akwa Ubok Abasi Campaign Organisation, a political structure of Senator Bassey Albert Akpan linked the fracas by the two rival cult groups to a disagreement over sharing of “government/PDP booty.”
In a statement titled: “Insecurity At Its Peak In Akwa Ibom State: Do We Still Have A Government?” and signed by Dr Usoro I. Usoro, its Director of Communications, the body described the reported cult clash at Ibom Plaza as “quite disheartening”.
It however, berated Udom Emmanuel’s government, “whose only acclaimed achievement in almost eight years claiming to ‘maintaining peace’ yet neither protects nor secures the lives of the already economically emasculated, impoverished, tramatised and socially imprisoned because bad governance”.
Part of the statement reads: “Despite the empty boasts of providing peace for the people of Akwa Ibom State, Udom has a very long way to go as far as Security of the State is concern, as he has mistaken the silence of the graveyard to mean peace. Otherwise, how can he account for the politically motivated killings, inexplicable clashes in several local governments, which the government agents have done such to suppress reportage; kidnappings, etc? For instance, very recently in Oruk Anam LGA, the wife of a retired Permanent Secretary in the State Civil Service, Mrs Idungafa, reportedly narrowly escaped kidnapping in Ekparakwa axis of of the local government. There are other reported cases of infractions in Oku Iboku, Uruan, etc and many more accross the state”.
“On Tuesday, December 13,2022, the popular Ibom Plaza area of the State turned to a war zone when two cult groups reportedly had a duel which reportedly started from a disagreement over sharing of government /PDP booty!”
“Sadly, the clash, which lasted for hours, did not only affect innocent members of the public who ran helter-skelter for their lives, their goods were scattered everywhere, while some lives were reportedly lost. The whole of Ikot Ekpene Road, Ikpa Road and some parts of Oron Road had palpable tension, many families lost valuables,many shops robbed in a state that peace and security are used as a mantra for deception”.
“This kind of unrest and security challenges should be expected where there is complete neglect of social welfare; high unemployment; insensitive to the plights of the masses; lack of accountability in government; poor economic management with the state consistently trailing at the bottom of global ratings; etc”.
Reacting also the Police have confirmed the incident, but could not volunteer information on the casualty figures in a statement on Wednesday by the Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), SP Odiko Macdon.
“Yesterday (Tuesday), at about 6:30pm, the Command received information about a Cult clash at the Plaza.
While the Commissioner of Police, CP, Olatoye Durosinmi, condemned in strong terms, the unfortunate incident which caused palpable fear among the good people of the state,
The CP, MacDon stated has reminded those involved in the dastardly act to note that the ban on cultism in the state was still in force and that henceforth, perpetrators of such acts would be apprehended and prosecuted in accordance with extant laws.
*The CP has therefore, called on residents to go about their lawful duties without fear of molestation as the Command has emplaced adequate security at the Plaza and around the state, throughout the Yuletide and beyond.”, The PPRO added.
