July 28, (THEWILL) – Gunmen suspected to be cultists, in early hours of Wednesday, shot dead Comrade Edet Ibanga, the Youths President of Atai Ibiaku community in Itu Local Government Area of Akwa Ibom State.
THEWILL gathered that the gunmen, numbering about 18, also shot and injured some tenants in a rented apartment occupied mostly by students of the University of Uyo (UNIUYO), along Urua Ekpa Road.
Fighting back tears, the daughter of the deceased, who simply identified herself as Blessing, a 200-Level Banking\Finance student of UNIUYO, cried for justice against those behind the death of her father.
“God will not allow them to go unpunished,” she said, adding that: “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.”
However, an eyewitness, Mr. Imoh Ekim, told Journalists, “The incident happened around 1am 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 to try to enter with a view to settling the dispute as usual. But one armed cultist, who was stationed to man the gate, opened fire directly and he went down.”
His remains were later deposited in a mortuary before family members proceeded to the nearby Itam Police Station, where the incident was said to have been reported.
However, journalists sighted some plain-cloth policemen, who arrived in an unmarked car, and requested his photograph, which the family showed them on a phone before they left to examine the corpse at the mortuary.
Confirming the incident, the Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Mr. Odiko Macdon, described the incident as unfortunate, adding that 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 assured.
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