The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Akwa Ibom State

  • Arrested INEC staff: APC tells police to deepen investigation

    The  All Progressive Congress, APC, Akwa Ibom State chapter has alleged that the Peoples’ Democratic Party, PDP, is trying to sabotage police investigation on an alleged illegal possession of card readers by an INEC staff

    The Chairman of the party, Mr Ini Okopido made this known at the weekend during a press briefing at the party secretariat, Uyo, the state capital.

    Okopido said that earlier last week, the INEC staff, Ejike Nwankwo was arraigned by the Akwa Ibom State police command with some card readers in the trunk of his car, believing that the devices were used during the last general elections. He also alleged that the said card readers were some of those used in rigging the elections in the state.

    “This press conference is called to update you on the recent arrest by the police of an INEC staff for illegal possession of some card readers used in the last elections.

    “As you are aware, earlier this week the Akwa Ibom State police command paraded a staff of INEC, Mr. Ejike Nwankwo, who was arrested with some card readers in the trunk of his car.

    “These card readers, we understand, were some of those used during the last general elections. We believe that the card readers found with Mr. Nwankwo were some of those pre-loaded card readers used in rigging the elections in favour of the PDP and Udom Emmanuel, he said.

    The party chair, who alleged that the PDP are mounting pressure on the police to kill the matter, explained that the aim is to show that such event did not happen.

    Read Also: Breaking: INEC declares PDP winner in all Zamfara elections

    “Why are Akwa Ibom State government officials and PDP chieftains in the state piling pressure on the police to kill this matter? They are putting pressure on the police, so that it shows that the matter did not exist”

    Thanking the police for their effort in revealing the development, however, Okopido urged them to remain in carrying out  their investigation they unravel the circumstances of the illegal possession of those card readers.

    “We wish to thank the police for their diligence and hard work in making this arrest which has undoubtedly brought to the fore dubious machinations of INEC under Mike Igini, the REC.

    “We thank God that the Nigerian police is up-to-date and we believe that they will do their investigations unravel the circumstances of the illegal possession of those devices

    “We request the police to get to the bottom of this stranger-than-fiction drama.

    Okopido also raised concern on the collaboration between PDP and INEC, adding that such relationship is questionable and suspicious as it is abnormal for a political party to defend INEC.

    “Gentlemen of the Press, have you noticed the speed with which PDP chieftains in the state and officials of Akwa Ibom State government rise to defend Mike Igini’s illegal actions? Isn’t it pretty curious that members of a political party that contested a disputed election have now turned themselves into INEC’s spokespersons?

    ”It simply means that PDP and INEC in Akwa Ibom are one and the same thing. They have fused together like husband and wife. Shame to them!

     

     

  • We never expelled Akpabio – PDP

    The Akwa Ibom chapter of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) on Monday said it never expelled or suspended former governor, Godswill Akpabio, from the party.

    The Publicity Secretary of the party in the state, Mr Ini Ememobong, stated this at a news conference in Uyo.

    He said that the claim by Akpabio that he was expelled by the party was a “transparent lie’’, adding that the former governor had never “even been suspended at any time’’.

    “Chief Akpabio had announced to the world on Aug. 8, 2018, that he was defecting from the PDP to the APC in pursuit of national interest and to stem the tide of defections in the National Assembly.

    “In fact, at different campaigns, he mocked the PDP as being empty since his `uncommon defection’.

    “At no time did he mention the issue of expulsion, which has now become his creation, as a lame defence in his struggle to keep his seat at the Senate,’’ Ememobong said.

    Read Also: Real reasons Akpabio, Amaechi reconciled

    He alleged that Akpabio colluded with a former chairman of PDP in Essien Udim Local Government Area to procure a letter purportedly expelling him from the party, and back dated it.

    According to him, after completing the assignment, the former chairman defected to APC to join Akpabio.

    The PDP insisted that there was no way Akpabio could have been expelled by the party without the concern of the executive committee of the party the area and the state.

    He also stated that there was no record showing the existence of such a punitive action against the senator by his ward or local government executive committee of the party.

    NAN

     

  • Police demolish kidnapper’s den in Akwa Ibom

    Akwa Ibom State Police Command has demolished a building inside of a forest where kidnappers hid their victims while waiting for ransom to be paid.

    The building was located in a forest area of Ekpri-Nsukara offot, a community in Uyo local government area of Akwa Ibom. The building which was fenced round, housed 5 bedrooms including toilet close to river.

    The demolition occurred following the rescue of a kidnapped expatriate (foreign national), Mr Gassan Naser, a staff of Zenith Construction company, who was abducted on 30th April 2019 at work cite in Mbiaya Uruan.

    Naser had earlier confessed that the abductors took him to an unknown bush where he was fed with “small bread and banana” for two weeks.

    “My name is Gassan Naser, I am working with Zenith Construction Company in Mbiaya Uruan. On the 30th of April, in the morning time as we were working in the cite, one car stopped near our vehicle and three men came down from the car, they started shooting guns, they killed our escort, they dragged me into their car, covered my face, took me inside bush. Since that day I suffered inside that place because of cold… they gave me only banana and small bread to eat”.

    Read Also: Police arrest four suspected cultists

    The State Public Relations Officer, Odiko MacDon (SP) earlier said that Naser was rescued by the Operatives attached to Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) on Friday, 17th May 2019.

    “On 17/5/2019, SARS Operatives of the Command rescued a foreign national, one Gassan Naser, a staff of Zenith construction Company, Mbiaya Uruan, who was abducted on 30/4/2091 by hoodlums… ”

    The Police Spokesman revealed that the suspected kidnappers were also nursing the plans of using the building in hiding Commissioners across the state while waiting for ransom.

    MacDon, who noted that the operation was in line with the command’s effort to stem the tide heinous crimes and banditry while improving on the prevailing peaceful nature of the state disclosed that “three suspected were attempting to escape during the rescue operation were gunned down”.

     

  • Flood kills two in Akwa Ibom

    Two persons have reportedly died following more than an hour of heavy downpour which caused flood in many streets in Uyo, the Akwa Ibom state capital.

    The deceased persons, a man and woman were discovered in a gutter along Atiku Abubakar lane by GWT fuel station in Uyo, eyewitnesses said.

    Our correspondent reported that the rain started at about 5.30pm on Sunday and did not stop until about 6.45pm.

    According to an eyewitness, Uduak Mbakara, the unidentified victims who were found dead inside the gutter on Monday morning were not residents of the area.

    She stated that residents of the area called the police who promptly responded and carried away the corpse.

    Read Also: Court recalls sacked Akwa Ibom lawmakers

    “We woke up this morning to find the corpse of a man and a woman in the gutter along Atiku Abubakar lane. Since we could not identify them, we called the police who came and carried the corpse away,” she said.

    The Police Public Relations Officer in the state, Odiko Macdon confirmed on Monday in Uyo that the police has taken the corpses and deposited them in a morgue.

    He said the police believe that the victims were electrocuted by the naked electrical wires inside the gutter as a result of a fallen electrical pole, adding that foul play was suspected in the death.

    “Preliminary investigation reveals that the victims were electrocuted because some fallen electrical poles were found around the area, giving the impression that they died of electrocution. But our investigations have not been concluded,” he stated.

  • 2Face Idibia loses father-in-law to cancer

    Annie Idibia, wife of Nigerian music legend 2baba on Wednesday announced the death of her father, Macaulay as a result of an unsuccessful battle with cancer.

    The 34 year-old Ibadan born actress, model and mother of two from Eket, Akwa Ibom state took to her Instagram handle @annieidibia1 to wish her father farewell.

    “RIP Daddy, You fought Hard #cancersucks #thepainsIsGone,’’ she wrote.

    Meanwhile, some Nigerian celebrities took to the comment section of her Instagram to express their condolences.

    Talented singer @officialwaje wrote, “RIP it is well love.

    Singer, producer and actor, Olubankole Wellington @bankywellington said, “ Condolence dear.’’ @realmercyaigbe wrote, “Accept my condolence.’’

    @Emmanyra said, “ So sorry for your loss dear. May he rest in perfect peace.’’

    Read Also: Boko Haram is political, not religious – 2face

    Popular blogger, Laura Ikeji @lauraikeji wrote, “So sorry for your lost Annie, sending my condolence to you and your family.’’

    @cossyojiakor said “Awwww take heart deary.’’

    Similarly, some of her fans also sent their condolences.

    @ogechinkem said, “Cancer sucks indeed! RIP sir.

    @mhiz_psweety wrote, “Oh dear please take heart. May God Almighty comfort you and the family.

    @sobowaletope81t said, “May his soul rest in peace, so sorry.

    Before the death of Annie’s father, her husband, 2baba also lost his dad, Pa Michael Idibia to cancer in 2014.

    NAN

  • Gendarmes kill scores of Nigerians in A’Ibom fishing community

    Scores of Nigerians may have been killed and others missing following an alleged attacks by suspected Cameroonian gendarmes on Abana, a fishing community on the fringes the Bakassi Peninsula.

    The Village Head of Ifa Ikot Akpan in Uyo Local Government Area, Etteidung Edem Ebong, who confirmed the incident to reporters in Uyo, said the victims were mostly Akwa Ibom indigenes.

    The monarch added that several others have been abducted and detained at the detention facility in Cameroon.

    One of the fishermen, who escaped the incident and fled into his community in the coastal community of Uruan Local Government Area, Etebong Bassey, stated the unresolved problem of multiple taxations for Akwa Ibom and Cameroonian authorities triggered the fracas.

    “As fishermen, we have been paying multiple taxes to different authorities for Akwa Ibom and Cameroon for several years now and the youths became angry and protested over the issue.

    “So the Gendarmes cash in on the protest and invaded the communities within the Shell Creek area,” he explained

    According to him, those affected hailed from several Akwa Ibom communities including Ifa Ikot Akpan, Ekpene Ibia, Ikot Akan, Ikot Otoinye, Nnaenine and Ikot Inyang, all in Uyo and Uruan Local Government Areas.

    According to him: “Three days ago, some fishermen who are indigenes of Uyo and Uruan Local Government Areas, who visited home for a funeral ceremony were forced to returned on their way back to Abana, when they got a distress call that their homes in Abana had been invaded and several people killed, some abducted and properties destroyed”.

    Read Also: INEC office inferno will not stop polls – A’Ibom REC

    However, the monarch, who confirmed the development, appealed to the state and Federal Government for urgent intervention to rescue the missing victims.

    “Yes, the victims returned with tales of woe in my palace here. They told me their settlements at Abana had been destroyed with over 40 of them killed, while several others were arrested on trump up allegations of starting the problem that degenerated into a full blown crisis.

    “Therefore, I want to use this opportunity to kindly look into the crisis and communicate to appropriate authorities in the area to help release our people from captivity and save their lives as many of those affected are from my domain,” Etteidung Ebong lamented.

    However, Pastor Ekikere Umoh, the Chief Press Secretary (CPS) to Obong Moses Ekpo, the state’s Deputy Governor, whose office is in-charge of boundary matters, said: “the office of the Deputy Governor has no business with communal wars”.

    The Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Mr. Odiko Macdon, a Police Superintendent, could not respond to calls sent to his phone for his reaction on the matter.

     

  • Navy nabs 12 suspected rice smugglers in A’Ibom

    The Nigerian Navy, Forward Operating Base, Ibaka, Mbo local government area, Akwa Ibom State, has arrested 12 suspected rice smugglers.

    At least 742 bags of contraband rice were recovered from the suspects in in four different operations carried out by naval operatives in the area.

    The first set of arrests include five suspects and 339 bags of 50kg rice, the second set also has five suspects and 301 bags of 50kg rice, while the third and fourth arrests include one suspect each, 41 and 43 bags of 50kg rice respectively.

    Other items seized from the suspects between May 1st to 3rd, 2019 include two wooden boats, two fibre boats, four outboard engines and four pumping machines.

    Speaking on Sunday in Ibaka during the hand-over of the suspects, and items to the Nigeria Customs Service, Commanding Officer, FOB, Captain Toritseju Vincent, promised that the Navy will remain committed to its assigned roles in checking illegalities on the water ways.

    “On behalf of the flag officer Eastern Naval Command, I am handing over these five suspects who were apprehended on Wednesday, the 1st of May in the early hours of the morning with 339 bags of rice, one big wooden boat, two outboard engines and two pumping machines.

    “Likewise, five suspects were arrested on 3rd May at about 0700 hours around the Akpan platform axis and they had 301 bags of rice in their wooden boat, as well as two outboard engines and two pumping machines.

    Read Also: Militants, smugglers would not be tolerated, Navy warns

    “We are handing over the suspects, the contraband goods and the boats to the Nigeria Customs, alongside the two suspects, 84 bags of contraband goods and two fibre boats.

    “I will like to thank you for your support in the past few weeks; it has been a continuing operation. We will continue to do our best out there in the waters and believe we will always have your unconditional support in carrying out our constitutional roles as assigned to both services.

    Receiving the suspects and items on behalf of the Controller, Eastern Marine Command, Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), Port Harcourt, Elton, Assistant Controller, Ali Garko thanked the Nigerian Navy for their efforts in arresting illegalities on the water ways, and appealed to the smugglers to deist from the act as it was detrimental to the nation’s economy.

    “I thank the Nigerian Navy for this wonderful effort. We will like to reiterate to those people who are in this business to desist because it is ruining our economy. The earlier they hearken to this, the better for all of us,” he stated.

    Two of the suspects, Mr. Edet Okon and his 17 year old nephew, Raphael Edem said they were only passengers on the boat when it was arrested and are not part of the smugglers. He said he came back to Nigeria to visit his sick sister.

    “I don’t know what is happening here. I boarded a boat in Cameroon to come and visit my sick sister, and then i saw myself here. I don’t know the boat was carrying rice because I was in a rush to come down to Nigeria. I have been in Cameroon for three years” he said.

    Raphael stated, “I have been living in Cameroon with my Uncle for three years now. When my Uncle told me my mum was sick, I boarded the boat to come to Nigeria but I did not know the boat was carrying rice, and I don’t know any of the people in the boat with me except my Uncle, who I came with”.

     

  • Dickson offers automatic jobs to Ijaw PhD holders

    Bayelsa State Governor, Seriake Dickson, has offered automatic employments to all PhD holders from Bayelsa State and Ijaw indigenes in other states across the country.

    The governor clarified the beneficiaries of the offer were Ijaws from Ondo, Edo, Delta, Rivers and Akwa Ibom states.

    Commissioner for Information and Orientation, Daniel Iworiso-Markson, said Dickson made the announcement while inaugurating the Committee for the Employment of Ph.D holders across Ijaw land.

    He said those to be employed would be deployed to the various state-owned tertiary institutions such as the Niger Delta University (NDU), the University of Africa, the Bayelsa Medical University, the College of Education, the Bayelsa State Polytechnic and others.

    He noted that the massive employment of Ph.D holders covering those in the Diaspora was part of the ongoing efforts of the state government to reposition the state education sector and make it more viable.

    Iworiso-Markson explained that following the inauguration of the committee headed by the Secretary to the State Government,  Kemela Okara, persons interested could apply through the committee for immediate employment.

    The Commissioner said that all PhD holders in the state civil service would be deployed to lecture in the tertiary institutions where their services would be better appreciated.

    Read Also: Dickson writes INEC, demands change of date

    He added that the employment of Ph.D holders would boost tertiary education in the state and help to develop the capacity of undergraduates in the different higher institutions.

    He said the automatic employment for Ph.D holders was coming few weeks after the governor announced similar gesture for all first class graduates of the state origin.

    According to him: “This is another clear statement we are making in our resolve to reposition our education sector for greater productivity.

    “There is no doubt that Governor Dickson has delivered in that critical sector. We believe strongly that this automatic employment will bring about academic excellence in our tertiary institutions.

    “It is a great opportunity for all Ph.D holders to advantage of this offer. In his usual magnanimity he has also extended the gesture to all those who are not from Bayelsa but hails from Ijaw speaking states like Rivers, Delta, Ondo, Edo and Akwa Ibom.”

  • Easter: Emmanuel urges opponents to put aside political differences

    Governor Udom Emmanuel of Akwa Ibom state has appealed to his opponents to set aside political bitterness and differences in the spirit of the Easter celebration and join hands with him to uplift the state.

    Emmanuel, who made the plea during his Easter broadcast to the state Friday, urged those who contested against him to accept the outcome of the last elections as the will of God and Akwa Ibom people.

    According to him, the well-being and future of the people should supersede any partisan political interest, adding that the Easter season epitomizes love and sacrifice which politicians must display for the interest of the state.

    He said: ”I am again inviting my brothers and sisters on the opposite side of the political divide to join hands with me to build a prosperous, safe and secure State where our people will continue to rise and claim the faith of their greatness.

    ”This should be no time for mutual recriminations.  Let us show that politics can and must be more ennobling than how certain people may make it appear.

    ”Let us begin to build a new vista of understanding of what political contest is all about: that a winner must emerge and the loser must not be treated with contempt or derision.

    ” I remain dedicated to promoting and projecting this beautiful virtue – politics that is played without bitterness as the Second Republic politician Late Alhaji Waziri Ibrahim had preached.

    ”Today, I urge you again to celebrate all that is good and ennobling in us. We are great people, of great heritage, and we must stand ready to work together to ensure and sustain a great future for ourselves and our children”.

    He governor thanked the people of the state for giving him another opportunity to serve, promising to improve on all sectors in his second term.

    ”In our Second Term which we are gearing to commence on May 29, this year, we will work twice as hard to sustain and expand the layers of good governance, touching lives, challenging our people to further rise to the faith of our greatness and show as I have always emphasized, that government can indeed be a force for good and not one for ill.

    ”We will, as enunciated in our 2019 Manifesto, dedicate ourselves to the Completion Agenda predicated still on massive industrialization push, infrastructural expansion, more investments put into ensuring our children are prepared through quality education that will get them ready for the 21 Century, our health care delivery will continue to expand, agriculture and tourism will receive the necessary boost, we will work to provide power for all,  build human capacity, expand our job opportunities and wealth creation mechanisms.

    ”We will continue to engender in our youths an entrepreneurial or ownership mind-set and ensure that our women are encouraged through soft loans to expand their businesses of trading and other small and medium scale businesses.

    ”In short, we will work to build a State whose economy will be the envy of all. I urge you as always to continue to pray for us and support our determined efforts to use our resources to build a solid economy for our people,” he said.

  • Three policemen, four others sentenced to death for kidnapping

    An Akwa Ibom State High Court Uyo, presided by Justice Joy Unwana (extended jurisdiction) has handed down death sentence to seven people, including three policemen for kidnapping.

    The other 4 convicts include a woman hired by the gang for N50, 000 to cook for the victim – Deaconess Ime Anietie Ekanem, while they negotiated for her ransom.

    The state instituted Suit No HU/13c/2012 against 8 members of the gang in 2012.

    They are: CPL Emmanuel Charlie, Ekaette Edet Moses, Fidelis Emmanson Jeremiah, Cpl Bassey Sunday (377812), PC Mfon Bassey (478463), Ndu Okon Johnny, Unyime Edem Etukakpan, and Itohowo Godwin Akpakwa.

    They were convicted on all 3 count charges of Conspiracy to commit felony, Kidnapping, and Counseling, aiding and Sponsoring kidnapping.

    According to the confessional statement of the 8th accused, Mrs Itohowo Akpakwa, which was admitted as exhibit, she confessed to visiting her friend in a Bar at Idakeyop Aka where she gave the 7th accused – Unyime Edem Etukakpan money to buy medicine for his ill health.

    Though Akpakwa denied knowledge of the plot to kidnap her friend and neighbor, no fewer than 3 other members of the gang told court that they did not know her name at the time she visited the final meeting at Aka.

    They insisted that she was the one who identified her friend and gave direction to her house in Obio Etoi village, Uyo.

    Read Also: Court remands man for defiling a minor

    It was learnt that the victim was dragged out of the Toyota Sienna Car driven by the husband, in front of the family house at about 6.30 p.m and whisked away in a Volvo Wagon Car to Afaha Udoeyop in Ibesikpo Asutan LGA where she was kept, under armed guards, in an isolated building pending agreement and payment of Ransom.

    The anti-kidnapping unit of the state CID swung into action as telephone negotiations between the kidnappers and the victim’s husband brought down the initial demand from more than twenty million naira (N20m) to about N1.8 million to be paid on 2 installments.

    Plain clothed operatives of the State CID were shocked to discover that the first 2persons who approached the Afaha Ibesikpo Market square venue for the ransom delivery were their colleagues at the state CID. Shortly after the encounter, the change in venue for delivery of the ransom was relayed to the husband of the victim by phone.

    Police investigation report, indicated that after changing venue thrice, the first instalment of N800, 000 was delivered at Itam, in another LGA.

    From the totality of evidence before the Court, it was observed that the gang might have gotten away with the crime had the proceed been equitably shared.

    It was also revealed that serious disagreement in the sharing formula led to friction.

    Consequently, a member of the gang, who at the time of sharing, was in the Uyo Prison on a different criminal matter, returned home to discover that he was short changed.

    He then  gave details of the plot and how it was carried out to the police, and later became the star witness for the State.

    The 8th and only accused who escaped the capital punishment, Mrs Itohowo Akpakwa- a staff of the University of Uyo, was earlier granted bail.

    Samuel Ikpo Esq of counsel to Mrs Akpakwa had insisted that there was no reason his client should languish in prison when there is no direct evidence linking her to the commission of the alleged crime.

    Her bail was secured when Ikpo successfully argued that in the absence of a prima facie evidence against his client, it became baseless and punitive to curtail her freedom.

    Inspite of persistent argument to the contrary by Eyo Asuquo Esq for state, insisting that Mrs Akpakwa is the ‘woman’ mentioned by other suspects, the court was not persuaded, and therefore had no grounds to deny her bail.

    Reviewing arguments on both side, the court noted that evidence of most suspects was that the woman who attended their meeting at Aka before the kidnap operation was the one who identified the victim, and also supplied information about her residence and movement.

    It noted that 2 state witnesses (policemen) also confirmed to court that they heard from suspects that the 8th accused supplied information and also identified the victim.

    Justice (Mrs.) Joy Unwana echoed the position of Samuel Ikpo who pointed out that hearsay evidence by state witnesses must not only be discountenance, but that of other suspects who did not mention the name of his client.

    Furthermore, the court was convinced by his position that in the failure of police to conduct Identification Parade to give other suspects the opportunity to identify the ‘woman’ they allegedly saw, his client cannot be declared as the  ‘woman’ in question.

    The court was of the view that there was no grounds to convict Mrs Akpakwa, and accordingly discharged and acquited her.

    On the other hand, convinced that the state has successfully proven beyond reasonable doubt, the 3 count charges, the other 7 were convicted.