One dead, others injured as thugs invade peace meeting in A/Ibom
One person was set to have been killed and some others injured when thugs aborted a peace meeting at Uda community in Mbo Local Government Area of Akwa Ibom State.
It was gathered that the thugs, who were allegedly hired by a retired Assistant Superintendent of Police, Xavier Ekpe, on Wednesday, left many attendees from Udung Ukwo in Unyenege community injured.
However, Ekpe described the accusation as baseless and unfounded, stating that he was a victim of the attack and had to be rescued by the village head of the community.
A former youth president, Godwin Tom, was said to have been killed during the attack, one Asukwo Etekpo beaten to coma while one Michael Abia was macheted in the head.
An indigene of the place identified as Christopher, said the meeting was organised by Uda traditional council towards ensuring peaceful coexistence between the two aggrieved parties in Unyenge when the trouble started.
He alleged that Ekpe, did not allow peace to reign in Unyenge community, adding that he sent many people away from the community including the traditional ruler.
According to Christopher, trouble started when Ekpe refused to acknowledge the headship of Chief Okon Etekpo as the traditional ruler of Unyenge.
He said since the death of a former leader in the community, John Esin, the community has known no peace.
A former youth president in Unyenge, Emmanuel Tekim, said it was sad that one man could torment the community for such a long time.
He claimed that at Uda's parley, Ekpe, skipped the proceedings when the other elders had assembled, noting that when Ekpe knew all “his lies would be revealed where members of other parties were around, he ensured that the meeting ended in a fiasco.”
But speaking with our correspondent in Uyo, Ekpe said he was a victim of the attack, saying that he narrowly escaped being lynched by the thugs.
He said “at the meeting the president of Uda Community was there; the Chief of Uda was here; I was there, including the students. They deliberated and at the end of it those who came said they cannot go on with the matter and they fixed a date and the meeting was closed and we all moved.
“I don’t know what happened, I was on the road, when I wanted to pass, they blocked me. It was the village head that saved me from the people. It is not true, it’s a blatant lie. Nobody died. Personally, I don’t know because I was beaten up by the same group of people”.
When the Police Public Relations Officer, Odiko Macdon was contacted, he said he was yet to receive information about the fracas but added that the police would investigate the matter and the perpetrators brought to book.