Fear has gripped residents of Afaha Ube and other adjoining areas of Ikot Ekpene Road in Itam local government area of Akwa Ibom State following the gruesome murder of a senior Police officer simply identified as Inspector Osang, by suspected cultists.
Inspector Osang was beheaded on Wednesday night at Enen Afaha street in Afaha Ube, hotline magazines garthered on Thursday.
An eyewitness and resident of the adjoining area of Ikot Ebido, Effiong Attai, explained that dozens of hoodlums in batches had laid siege to the residence of the victim after ensuring that the Police officer, serving at the ‘C’ Division, Aka Etinan, near the Police Command headquarters, Ikot Akpanabia, was at home.
“The armed cultists stormed the residence of the late Police Inspector at about 8:30pm, shot sporadically in swift operation which lasted for about 10 minutes. When the dust was cleared, the lifeless body was found in the pool of blood with the severed head lying close to the body,” Attai explained, even as he ruled out suspicion of ritual killing “because nothing was removed from his body and the head was not taken away.”
Another resident, who would not want his name in print, linked the sad incident to reprisal attack by suspected cultists, saying the deceased Inspector may have been having some running battles with hoodlums and other Criminal Elements terrorising the state, leading to a retaliatory mission by his assailants.
In the last two weeks, Uyo, the state capital had been under siege by terror gangs, who, at the last count, have killed and beheaded no fewer than four persons including two females at the Anua area of Nwaniba; Udo Udoma Banking Layout as well as Ikot Oku Ikono areas of the state.
The State Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Odiko MacDon, confirmed the incident, saying the Police Command had received the news of the murder of the Police chief, describing it as very unfortunate.
He said: “The Command has received that information and it is an unfortunate situation. Already, an investigation is ongoing and we are committed to ridding the streets of criminal elements.
“Again, we are not deterred, and we are committed to ensuring that criminal minded persons will account for their actions.”
Meanwhile, the State governor, Pastor Umo Eno, while reacting to the incident, warned that no criminal should test the resolve of his administration on security matters and charged security agencies to step up their act in flushing out criminal elements in the state.
“If criminals believe that Akwa Ibom state is a place for them to hibernate, I am warning them to stay away. We have credible intelligence that there are those ones living amongst us; we will come after you,” the governor warned.
