GOV AKPABIO & EX-GOV EWANG: THE KIDNAP SAGA RAGES

Editor Sir,

GOV AKPABIO & EX-GOV EWANG: THE KIDNAP SAGA RAGES

At times one wonders what type of security system that is prevailing now in Nigeria; showcasing worse scenario than the military era when despotic persons occupy positions unchallenged.

Air Commodore Sam Ewang (retired) was at different times the military governor of Ogun and Rivers States during the past military administration that ushered in the present democratic dispensation in 1999.  In 2007, Ewang contested the governorship of Akwa Ibom State on ANPP platform but lost to Governor Godswill Akpabio of PDP.

Ewang’s wife, Her Excellency, Mrs. Comfort Ewang was kidnapped and still in captivity for about three weeks now.

Reading the interview Ewang granted NEWS STAR newspaper published Wednesday 20–Friday 22 October 2010, I was disturbed with the graphic details of the kidnap. He confirmed that he went to Governor Akpabio who is the chief security officer of Akwa Ibom State, to complain and requested that his wife be released from captivity. Akpabio gave him a firm promise that this will be achieved within 24 to 48 hours. They met on Wednesday October 13, 2010. When that did not work out, Ewang’s family continued dialoguing with the kidnappers as Akpabio thereafter made self incognito and incommunicado. Ewang’s family has spent about N25million to the kidnappers who also kidnapped those that went to handover the ransom payment. T he car the messengers went with was also burnt. This is happening in the ‘small land-massed’ Akwa Ibom State?

The kidnappers had demanded addition N100million and a statement from Ewang that he will withdraw from contesting the 2011 Akwa Ibom governorship election. Ewang was quoted in New Star newspaper that Akpabio’s administration has long been planning to kidnap and kill him but failed; and that the plan to kidnap his wife has been on since February this year. According to him, Akpabio’s men sent him text during the kidnap of General Edet Akpan (former DG, NYSC) that he must be kidnapped so that he spends all those money he would be devoting for his campaign. All this he reported to the security authorities; whose security you may ask? By the way, what is the military hierarchy doing about this incident that has befallen their retired officer?

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