A’Ibom: Bloodletting ahead of 2015 elections

Governor Godswill Akpabio

The sobriquet of Akwa Ibom is “The Land of Promise.” Indeed, Akwa Ibom is the short form of Akwa Abasi Ibom, which means “God’s own state.” But recent political happenings have shown that the 27-year-old state is under the threat of ungodly elements.

The visit of suspected assassins to the Uyo office of the immediate past board Chairman, Akwa Ibom Property and Investment Company Limited, Mr. Soni Udom, on Monday, May 5, 2014, is a pointer to this supposition.

This incident, which is the latest in a series, in recent times, is a sad reminder

to residents of the state that the era of politics of bloodshed appears to be back in the state.

Prior to the 2011 elections, the unresolved murders of individuals who declared interest in vying for political offices generated public disgust and fear.

Quoting an annual report by the Nigeria Police Force, a Sunday PUNCH report of November 21, 2010 (page 3) said there were 74,064 murders and similar cases in Nigeria within two years.

A state-by-state analysis of this record ranks Akwa Ibom State with a population of 3.9m (2006 estimate) as being the highest with preponderance of such crimes. Some analysts argue that Akwa Ibom’s status as one of the richest states in the federation (it receives about N20bn monthly) could explain some of the desperate measures embarked upon by political gladiators in the quest for power. The police report said in 2009 alone, Akwa Ibom recorded 177 murders (most of which are said to be politically motivated), 62 attempted murders, one manslaughter, eight suicides, 21 attempted suicides, 320 assaults, 18 child stealing, 93 rape cases and indecent assaults, 29 kidnappings, among others. The 2011 figures marked a remarkable increase when compared to 2007.

Udom is lucky to be alive to tell his story. He told newsmen that his assailants gained entry into his office under the guise that they were looking for a place to let. He said from the information he got from members of his staff, the gunmen were armed. According to him, he was outside the state when he received a call at 2:34pm that some gunmen had raided his office in Uyo. He said, “I was highly disturbed about the mission of the gunmen because since I’ve been using this office in the last seven years there has never been a single incident of criminal operation in broad daylight around this neighbourhood. According to eyewitnesses, the gunmen, five in number, came into the premises and held the security man and staff including students on Industrial Training and a National Youth Service Corps member hostage at gunpoint. They seized their mobile phones and started ransacking the office room-to-room, breaking into toilets, looking for me. The gunmen were well armed as some of them had two pistols strapped to their waists. When some of them started seizing phones from my staff, one of the gunmen shouted, ‘Is that what we came for?’ In anger, he shot at the hand of the one collecting phones from my workers, cutting off a finger in the process. But in spite of the serious injury, the suspected assassin that was shot still went into all the other rooms, broke the toilets to look for me.”

A former Deputy Speaker, Akwa Ibom State House of Assembly, Uwem Udoma, claimed that a top politician within the ruling Peoples Democratic Party had threatened to deal with Udom if he continued to oppose the senatorial ambition of a certain candidate. Leading contenders for the senatorial position in the area are the incumbent senator representing Akwa Ibom North-West in the National Assembly, Aloysius Etok and the outgoing state governor, Mr. Godswill Akpabio.

Udoma said, “You cannot give what you do not have. We cannot concede that position to him. If he deserves compensation let Akwa Ibom State compensate him because he worked for them.

“If there is no zoning in Ikot Ekpene senatorial district and if we do not welcome zoning in Ikot Ekpene, we will not welcome it in the state.” Udoma, like Udom, has been vocal in his opposition to what he called the zoning of the seat to an individual. He said, “We are opposing senate position being zoned to a particular individual. One person was killed in Abak, my own local government area a few days ago. I went and saw the blood and today again, we are having an attempt on another life of a great son of Abak 5. I cannot keep quiet. We know where the attack is coming from and we urge the state government to do something about the security of lives and property of all citizens of this state. If the state government cannot defend us, we are going to take defence into our hands to save our lives. We will defend our children. We cannot take this anymore.” He recalled that there were several politically motivated murders in 2010 in the run up to the 2011 elections. He also observed that the trend seized after the current administration came to power.

The Police Public Relations Officer, Akwa Ibom State Command, Mr. Etim Dickson, confirmed the incident. He, however, said information available to the police indicate that the incident was not an assassination attempt but a case of armed robbery.

Dickson said, “Based on the report we received, the truth is that the incident was not an assassination attempt. The armed robbers raided the building, stole phones, money, other property, and started to shoot one another.”

With the assassination of a PDP chieftain, Albert Ukpanah, on March 13, 2014 in Abak, it became clear that the state may be on the verge of another round of murderous orgy, which characterised the state between 2010 and 2011.

An anonymous source told our correspondent that Ukpanah was assassinated based on his unyielding position towards some politicians in his federal and state constituencies who desired second or fresh terms in various political offices.

Ukpanah had served for nine years as state officer in the PDP representing Oruk Anam/Ukanafun in the federal constituency.

It was learnt that some persons including second term seekers had approached the deceased for support which he turned down. Some politicians were said to be jittery owing to the belief that Ukpanah had the clout to thwart their ambitions.

The deceased’s political associate, who refused to be named, stated that sometime in December last year, Ukpanah attended a meeting at Hilltop Mansion (Government House) as part of Akpabio’s effort to reconcile with aggrieved former state officers of the party.

He revealed that Ukpanah was very vocal at the meeting and he spoke his mind on a number of issues.

It was learnt that he voiced his opposition to certain permutations which appeared to be tailor-made towards giving an individual undue advantage over other qualified contestants in the 2015 governorship election.

The deceased was said to have told the powers that be that he was yet to decide on who to support but that he gave the assurance that he was going to support an aspirant from Eket Senatorial District.

On March 13, 2014, the deceased returned home after attending the Ikono/Ini town hall meeting and constituency briefing ceremony by 8pm when he received a call from visitors who parked their vehicle outside his residence. When Ukpanah asked them why they did not drive the car into the compound, they replied that the driver was inexperienced and may damage the car while trying to enter the compound. But before Ukpanah’s son, Odudu, who was asked to entertain the visitors could return with drinks, his father had been killed by his supposed visitors who fled the scene after they were sure he was dead.

Before Ukpanah’s death, Oyong Asuquo was allegedly murdered on April 13, 2012 for voicing his opposition against an attempt to impose an individual on the party. Two prominent people, who were murdered before the 2011 general elections included a former South-South Secretary of PDP, Chief Paul Inyang. He was said to have been murdered right inside a church during a service. Leading political parties in the state traded allegations over the murder. Based on a report by officials of the state government, an opposition figure, Senator John Udoedehe, was arrested as a suspect. He was taken to Abuja and detained before he was released.

Also, the paramount ruler of Nsit Ubium and Oku Ibom III, Edidem Robert James Obot, from Ikot Ekpene Udo in Nsit Ubium LGA, was said to have been assassinated on January 30, 2011, in his palace.

The state Commissioner for Information, Mr. Aniekan Umana, neither picked his calls nor responded to a text message sent to him by our correspondent, who sought to get the government’s reaction to the issues.

However, state Chairman of the PDP, Mr. Paul Ekpo, said, “My role is to function as party chairman and not on extraneous issues which are better handled by the police.”

It is the prayer of all citizens of the state that politicians would play by the rules and that security agencies would rise to the occasion as the 2015 elections draw near.