AKWA IBOM’S FRIGHTENING ‘POLITICAL’ KIDNAPPINGS

Dear Sir,

AKWA IBOM’S FRIGHTENING 'POLITICAL' KIDNAPPINGS

The Nation newspaper 15/5/10 (page 7) in a story captioned “Unknown gunmen shoot governorship aspirant ... abduct mother in Akwa Ibom”, reported that one Mr. Iniobong Ekong Udonwa, a Singapore-based ship builder who recently returned to the State to declare his interest in the (PDP) 2011 governorship race escaped with bullet wounds. Quoting Akwa Ibom Commissioner of Police Walter Rugbere; Udonwa is receiving treatment at an undisclosed clinic in Uyo while his mother was kidnapped and the assailants demands N500million ransom.

It will be recalled that The Punch 8/4/10 (page 5) reported that Police arrested some persons said to have kidnapped Obong Gabriel Ekere, father of Nsima Ekere. Nsima reportedly had shown veiled rekindled interest in contesting the PDP 2011 governorship primary; he lost in the 2006 primary to the incumbent Governor Godswill Akpabio. According to the Commissioner of Police, the Police recovered N40million cash (meant for ransom) and three AK47 rifles when they allegedly stormed the hideout of Ekere’s kidnappers. For reasons only known to the Commissioner of Police, till date he has refused disclosing the identities of the arrested persons; leaving room to what people now allege was a politically motivated kidnapping. 

Also a PDP governorship hopeful, Senator James Udoedehe who was the Campaign Director for Akpabio during the 2007 election, recently alleged that some gunmen suspected to be government-sponsored attempted kidnapping his mother; this was however denied by the government. It will be recalled that after the release of former NYSC Director-General, retired-General Edet Akpan, who was kidnapped at a church service where two innocent worshippers were killed, the Police claimed that some of the hoodlums have been arrested but, again, till date, contrary to public expectations, refused to reveal their names.

The common denominator in the entire episode is the Police who claimed that the governor had provided them with all the logistics needed to fight the evil but their continued poor approach and secrecy therein tend to tint the opinion the public hold of Governor Akpabio’s government.

Itoro Akpabio-Umuahia Road-Ikot Ekpene- Akwa Ibom State.