By EEmeka Ogenyi
Youths from Nung Ikono Obio community in Uruan Local Council of Akwa Ibom have uncovered more shallow graves within the compound of Mr. Uduak Akpan, who was arrested by the police last week in connection with the murder of one Miss Iniubong Umoren, a graduate of Philosophy at the outskirts of Uyo.
The suspect, now detained at the state Police Headquarters in Uyo was alleged to have lured late Umoren to his room, raped, killed, and eventually buried her in a shallow grave in his father’s compound.
The youths who were enraged with the action yesterday stormed the compound, and vandalised the building using pebbles after setting ablaze the security house of the one storey building.
It was gathered that the vandalization started on Tuesday night and still ongoing as at press time even as it was alleged that the youths carted away properties in the compound and handed the boy’s father(whom they accused of being an accomplice) to the police.
Newsmen who visited the scene on Wednesday evening were shown more undug shallow graves in the large compound and a skeleton suspected to be that of a child under one of the trees in the compound lying on the floor.
Also old sag bags were seen scattered near the graves as the youths who conducted journalists round the compound claimed that they were used for packing human parts they buried.
The youths said the suspect and his family are strangers living in the community bit from a neighbouring community.
One of the youths identified as Akpan James told journalists that the family of the suspect erected the building about four years ago but only visit occasionally since they have another building in Uyo town while no body actually knew what they do inside the compound.
“People thought that they were living here, they don’t, they only come and go. They are from the next community. They don’t have friends in this community as their gate is always closed and they wrote the notice, ‘beware of dogs’ on their wall. We didn’t know that such a thing was happening here.
“We want government to investigate this matter and bring justice to that slain orphan. We are grieved with this incident and we don’t want this matter swept under the carpet.” He explained.
Also speaking, the youths President of the community, Mr Sunday Essien said the youths were disappointment over the action adding that such offence is not condoned in the community.
“There is nothing happening apart from the one you have already heard. It’s not good for the boy to kill his fellow human being. We don’t know that, that is what he has been doing. We, the youths will never allow such things to be happening in our community That is the reason we took this action.” Essien said.
He however, exonerated the chairman of the LGA, Mr. Iniobong Ekpenyong saying he played the role of a Chief security officer of council by calling on the police to arrest the culprit.
The Council Chairman had earlier issued a press statement distancing himself from insinuations of being party to the incident stressing that he only did his job as the chief security officer of the local government by fishing out the suspect and handing him over to the police.
