Suspected Cultists Kill Youths’ President in Akwa Ibom

Okon Bassey in Uyo

Suspected cultists have killed the Youth President of Atai Ibiaku community in Itu Local Government Area, Mr. Edet Ibanga, and left many people wounded in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State capital.

Sources said Ibanga was shot dead yesterday when armed hoodlums numbering about 18 invaded a building principally occupied by students of the University of Uyo (UNIUYO) along Urua Ekpa Road, in search of a man over unresolved issues with his girlfriend.

An eye witness, Mr. Imoh Ekim, said: “The incident happened around 1:00 a.m. on Wednesday, when the hoodlums stormed the compound in search of one man, who was having an issue with his girlfriend.

“The deceased, being the youths’ president had to rush from his compound to the opposite compound at Urua Ekpa Road upon hearing the sound of gunshot and heated arguments involving the people.

“He was shot in the chest immediately he opened the gate of the compound trying to enter with a view to settling the dispute, but oblivious of the fact that one armed cultist, stationed at the gate opened fire directly and he went down.”

Ekim said that the body of the youth leader has deposited in a mortuary.

Family members later moved to the nearby Itam Police Station to officially lodge the incident.

The daughter of the deceased who was identified as Blessing, a two 200-Level Banking\Finance student of UNIUYO, was full of tears over the death of her father.

“God will not allow them to go unpunished. I will not be able to give details because they just called me from school this morning to come home where I discovered this shocking incident of my father being shot dead by armed criminals,” she lamented.

Some plain cloth detectives had condoned the crime scene to probe into the development when journalists visited the area.

The Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Mr. Odiko Macdon, confirmed the incident and described it as unfortunate.

Macdon said police operatives had since swung into action as directed by the Commissioner of Police (CP), Mr. Amiengheme Andrew.

“We are in receipt of that incident; it is quite unfortunate and unacceptable. The CP has ordered investigation into the matter and in no distant time, the perpetrators will be apprehended.” he stressed.