A’ Ibom Council Chair Imposes Curfew over Cult Killings, Looting

Okon Bassey in Uyo

Worried by the killings and looting of property due to cult activities, the Chairman of Ikono Local Government Area of Akwa Ibom State, Mr. Nyakno Uwemedimo Okoibu, has imposed a dust-to-dawn curfew in the LGA.

The council boss said the curfew commenced December 28th till further notice from the hour of 6am – 6pm daily.

This was contained in a statement issued yesterday by the Press Secretary to the Local Government chairman, Nsisong Ntuk.

Okoibu explained that the restriction order became necessary to halt cult-related activities which have resulted in killings and looting of property in the area.

“The chairman of Ikono LGA, has imposed a total restrictions of movement of persons, motorcycles, keke, cars, etc. within the perimeters of Ikono Local Government Area, from the hours of 6pm to 6am daily, effective from tomorrow, December 28, 2021 until further notice.

“The ban, though painful, is a child of necessity and is therefore in the overall best interest of every well meaning indigene of Ikono and other citizens residing in the Council Area.

“As a responsible government, we cannot fold our arms and watch events go the other way round. We must be proactive,” the statement said.

The chairman charged the security operatives to increase the tempo of surveillance and monitoring, in order to forestall the killings by cultists operating within the local government area and its environments.

The council chairman charged the people to cooperate with security agencies by reporting suspicious movement of person and volunteer information that could lead to arrest of the criminal elements in the council area.