By Samuel Ogenyi, Uyo
Hoodlums suspected to be cultists belonging to the Dbam and Iceland confraternities have burnt down a police out station in Inen community of Oruk Anam local council of Akwa Ibom.
Members of the two Confraternities who allegedly took the action on Monday night have been involved in bloody clashes and terrorizing Inen community for the past eight months.
Many policemen in the area had already absconded their duty post in the wake of cult related violence in the area leaving the hoodlums to engage in daily reprisal attacks.
It was gathered that the cultists always overpower the police, killing and maiming members of rival gang and innocent people in the community .
An eyewitness Mfonobong Okorie said the cultists numbering over 30 barricaded the community road and snatched two motorcycles in the process.
” Residents who wanted to visit their houses to obtain food items and rush back to their settlement camps in neighbouring villages were trapped in the bush while the hoodlums molested and maimed anybody passing on the road”
Continuing , Okorie said, “after some hours the cultists regrouped and moved towards Inen Junction where they burnt down the police sub station at about 7pm chanting war songs ”
He recalled that the cultists went beserk after an Elder was shot during in the church and a retired police Inspector was maimed in the same community, with both of them receiving treatment now in an undisclosed hospitals in the state.
Okorie explained that the burnt police post was the second building the hoodlums would torch within three days after a former councillor’s house was also destroyed.
” This police station was a rented property . It doesn’t belong to government but this night the cultists invaded the building and set it ablaze ”
Speaking to newsmen, Mr. Anyanime Umoren, Public Relations Officer of Inen Stakeholders Forum said the community leaders have written several letters to the state government to act and restore peace to the community but have received no response in any form.
” I don’t know what has come over our youths. Right now many people have deserted this Community except aged persons who have no where to run to. Please let governor Udom Emmanuel rescue us . We have written several letters to the governor but no response. Killings continues here. No police to challenge this hoodlums.” Umoren said.
However, the police Public Relations Officer, Akwa Ibom state command, SP Odiko Mcdon, who confirmed the incident however said that the building was dilapidated structure rented as an out station of Nigeria Police.
” The building is a dilapidated one that was previously owned by police as an out station office for our personnel but later shutdown because of inadequate manpower in the force.”Macdon said,dismissing the incident as an ordinary fire that gutted an abandoned building.
“How do you know that the fire was ignited by cultists? Everything there may not be cultist.” He said.
