By Samuel Ogenyi, Uyo
…..declares councillor, 14 others wanted
The police have arrested 15 persons for allegedly killing, Chief Henry Esimeme, the village head of Nsie community and one Sunday Walter Ukoh in Okobo Local Government Area of Akwa Ibom State
It has also declared Supervisory Counsellor and 14 others wanted in connection with the incident, according to a statement from the State Police Public Relations Officer(PPRO), CSP Frederick N-Nudam yesterday in Uyo.
John, a supervisory counsellor in Okobo Local Government Area is said to have teamed up with a youth leader, Usong Morrison John to mastermind the crime.
Nnudam said the Commissioner of Police, Imohimi Edgal ordered the arrest of the suspects for allegedly taking laws into their hands by avenging the death of a former youth president of the village, Aniefiok Mkpo-Abasi.
He said Aniefiok Mkpo-Abasi allegedly died after drinking some local gins mixed with herbal concoction in the house of Sunday Walter Ukoh, thereby sparking the suspicion and anger that he was deliberately killed.
“The Police Command received a disturbing report of mayhem in Nsie village occasioned by an incident in which the former youth president of Nsie village, one Aniefiok Mkpo-Abasi a.k.a King of Boys was alleged to have died on 12th July, 2020 on suspicion of drinking some local gins mixed with herbal concoction in the house of one Sunday Walter Ukoh of the same address.
“Following the incident, some disgruntled youths and elders of Nsie village under the aegis of the youth president, one Usong Morrison John and Nkereuwem John the Supervisory Councilor for Finance, Okobo Local Government Area arose from a meeting held at the village square and allegedly attacked and killed the village head of Nsie, one Chief Henry Esimeme and Sunday Walter Ukoh.
“The Commissioner of Police Immediately deployed patrol teams to the village and restored normalcy while fifteen (15) of the suspects fingered in the incident were arrested in two separate operations on 15th and 19th July, 2020.
“However, the Commissioner of Police wondered why the people did not take advantage of the community policing platform already in the area to resolve all differences, but rather resorted to jungle justice and at the end committed murder.” The statement said.
He disclosed that special units of the police command have been mandated to fish out other culprits currently on the run.
“To ensure sustainable peace, order, and apprehension of other suspects , the Tactical Teams and the State Intelligence Bureau Personnel have been deployed to the affected area while a high-powered investigation panel under the Deputy Commissioner of Police in-charge of the State CID has been constituted and mandated to unravel the circumstances surrounding the incident.” It said.
