From INIOBONG SUNDAY, Uyo
Stranded widow, Mrs Immaculate Akpan, whose husband was gruesomely murdered, has appealed to the federal, state, local governments and other public-spirited Nigerians for succour.
AljazirahNigeria gathered that the late Mr Akpan was headed by armed hoodlums from the neighbouring Eket Local Government Area who invaded Ndito Eka Iba village in Ibeno Local Government Area.
It was learnt her late husband, from Eket Local Government Area but resides in the coastal community of Ndito Eka Iba in Ibeno, was killed for allegedly acting as an informant and saboteurs against the Eket aggressors seeking to annex Ndito Eka Iba.
AljazirahNigeria reports that the attack on Ndito Eka Iba is the fourth in the series of attacks on Ibeno since the controversial attempt by former Governor Udom Emmanuel to remap Akwa Ibom State, witb the case still in court.
Fighting back tears while speaking to journalists in Ibeno at the weekend, Mrs Akpan recalled that they had lived peacefully in Ndito Eka Iba for several years with no rancour.
She explained that the attack on the fishing community on Christmas Eve in 2024 had left a huge scar on Ndito Eka Iba, after invaders from Eket launched attacks on homes, destroying churches, several boats with outboard engines, cars, motorcycles and other valuables including fishing gears.
Narrating her ordeal, the mother of four recalled the sad incident that cost the life of her husband with several children whose whereabouts are still unknown.
“When our neighbours from Eket launched the attack on the night of December 24, 2024, we were caught unaware.
“Before the attack, the invaders had attempted to host a festival to herald the Christmas day, but instead of using the village name of Ndito Eka Iba, which is unit 6 ward 10 and a gazetted village in Ibeno Local Government Area, they used the name, Okoiyak Ekid, to reflect their Eket identity; which means that Ndito Eka Iba village no longer belongs to Ibeno, but Eket.
“Because of this, youths of Ndito Eka Iba village approached them and advised them against the plan to alter the original name, but they threatened war, which they (Eket people) later launched late that night, forcing people to escape into the dark shrub where they spent the night before emerging in the morning to seek refuge in safer locations.
“The entire village of Ndito Eka Iba has been left in total ruins and I have relocated to my village, Odio, in Eket Local Government Area, after my husband’s remains were buried in a shallow grave without his head, which was severed from the rest of his body and taken away by the attackers.
“I have been dislodged from where I used to eke out a living with my four children, trading in fish, crayfish and other seafoods like periwinkles, prawns and others.”
Appealing to concerned authorities, including the State Emergency Management Agency, SEMA, National Emergency Management Agency, NEMA, churches, individuals and corporate organisations for relief materials for her and other displaced victims, Mrs Akpan lamented that “it has become too difficult to feed and clothe my four children in a new location without a job or business.”
Responding, the Commissioner of Police, Baba Azare said the suspects are still in custody, maintaining that “investigation on the case had since been concluded and the suspects charged to court.”
He assured that no one has the right to interfere in the matter. “I have taken full responsibility over the case and I have spoken with the investigative officer who told me that the matter had already been charged to court.”
