Tension In Akwa Ibom Community As Police Arrest Villagers Over Death In Prayer House
Natives of Ikot Isong village, Etinan local government area of Akwa Ibom State said they are now living in fear following an alleged onslaught by officers of the Nigeria Police command over the death of a woman in a prayer house in the area.
It was gathered that the mass arrest started last week and many persons in the village are on the run while the clan heads of Nnung Idem, Nnung Ennang, Nnung Itina and a morgue manager have been arrested.
A source from the village who pleaded anonymity told our correspondent that trouble started when an elderly woman who seemed mentally retarded from Ibesikpo local government of the state visited a Spiritualist in Ikot Isong village for prayers but died a few days after in the prayer house.
The deceased woman’s children, he said, traced the place and reported to the village head, a nonagenarian, Ete Idung Chief Maurice Isaiah Ikpat; who advised them to report the matter to the police.
He noted that the prophetess, fearing repercussions, ‘lied to the police that the village youths ganged up to beat up the woman.’
Our source added that the police visited Ette Idung’s house where other village officers were summoned for questioning but the policemen from Ikot Akpan Abia headquarters allegedly disguised and returned the following night and picked up some family heads
The policemen from Ikot Akpan Abia headquarters disguised themselves and returned the following night and picked up some family heads. At some houses, they broke either the doors or smashed windows with axes to gain entrance.
At Udo Edmund’s house, they beat up his wife, dragged her into their vehicles and arrested his child around 1am.
We’re all living in fear as they come mostly in the night like armed robbers, beating up and abducting people in the village”, Akpan Obong, a village elder lamented.
Another villager claimed that the police have since released the prophetess but were demanding the village to pay N600,000 to release the detainees.
Reacting, the Commissioner of Police in the state, CP Waheed Ayilara said they still need time to handle the investigation.
