From JOE EFFIONG, UYO
The sleepy Eyobisung community in Udung Uko Local Government Area of Akwa Ibom State is still in shock over the massacre of eight of their natives at night by some unknown persons. Four women, four men, and in one instance, a man and his wife were butchered, on the night of November 22.
Nobody seems to know the actual reason for the massacre but a source in the community alleged that the victims of the killing were accused of being witches and wizards, whose activities led to the sudden death of a councillorship candidate, Duncan Orok-edi, a few days before the incident. Orok-edi was scheduled to stand election on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) holding on Saturday, December 2.
Monarch demands justice
The paramount ruler of Udung Uko, HRM Bassey Etim Edet told Saturday Sun that the witchcraft story is very outlandish since the said councillorship candidate was said to have had some health history of hypertension, “as confirmed by his wife.”
“So, because of his death, we have asked that he be replaced with his wife for fairness and equity because it was their turn to produce a councilor for the ward.”
The monarch, a former chairman of the local government area, said the entire drama was as a result of insecurity sweeping across the entire country which needs urgent intervention by government through proper and adequate training and recruitment into the police.
“The police are on top of the situation. They have commenced full investigation in the matter. The hoodlums are from this village but they are on the run. But we will pursue them till they get to the bank of the river and either jump in or we catch them. If we catch them, the law will take its full course; and if they jump into the ocean, it means they won’t ever come back,” the monarch said.
He said he would not want to speak more on the issue until the police have concluded their investigation.
How it happened
Bassey Okon Ekpoyo, whose 67-year-old mother, Mary Okon Okpoyo, was one of the victims, said he was keeping vigil at the-site of a construction company working on the community road when his younger nephew came to report to him that his mother had been killed.
Okpoyo said his mother, a widow, was never a violent person and no one in the family has even been involved in notorious activities in the village.
“Everybody knows us in this village. I am not in any cult. Since they butchered my mother and left her in the bush, we had to bury her because the body was very unsightly. We are now looking at the police, what they will do. But I know some of the boys. I know their names and I have given same to the police to investigate, even though they have all ran away for now, I know they will eventually be arrested,” Okpoyo said.
Gripped by the fear of equally being attacked by the hoodlums, the 32-year Okpoyo, had to relocate to live with his in-laws in the nearby village till normalcy returns to his community.
He gave the names of those killed to include Mary Etim Ibok, Flymor Edet Eyo, Okon Albert, Jenny Okon Albert and Hannah Olumba. Pastor Ukpong Edward, whose 50-year-old mother was also hacked to death in the midnight attack that engulfed the community, equally said he was dazed to have lost his dear mother in such a violent circumstance.
Still confused by what happened, Edward, who doesn’t stay at home but in town manning his church, said all the families of the slain victims were waiting for direction from the paramount ruler. As the only son of the mother who had also lost his father in 2008, Ukpong said “I just want to hear from the paramount ruler before I know what to do. And secondly, you know I am a pastor, so I know that my God can defend and fight the battle for me. I know it is not my mother alone that they killed. I know that these people who killed my mother, God will not allow them to succeed. God will intervene in this case for me. I know that God will take charge of this case.”
Another relative of one of the victims of the midnight killings, Ita Edet Effiong, who is a nephew to Mary Okon Okpoyo, expressed shock at the brutal murder of defenceless people at night, but appealed to the law enforcement agencies to thoroughly do their work.
“Mary Okpoyo was my aunty. Till now that I’m standing here with you, I don’t know why she and other victims were killed in such a gruesome manner. In fact, when I saw her butchered remains, I pleaded that it should be buried. We had to search for it far into the bush. Such a thing has never happened in the community,” he said.
Police react
The state police command however said only five persons were killed in the incident. The command public relations officer (PPRO) Mr Bala Elkana told Saturday Sun, “the police received a complaint from Eyobisung village in Udung Uko that some irate youths from the same village attacked and lynched five villagers on suspicion/accusation of witchcraft namely: Chief and Mrs Essang Ebianga, Iquo Etim Ibok, Affiong Effiong, Edward and Hannah Effiong John. One other Flymoh Edet Eyo was reported missing.
“Bodies of the victims had been evacuated to the mortuary for post mortem examination. The commissioner of police has ordered the homicide section of the state CID to carry out an in-depth investigation into the incident and apprehend the culprits. The command will update the public on the outcome of the investigation,” the police said, even as it could not confirm whether any arrest had been made.
Saturday Sun however learnt that at least one of the culprits had been nabbed by police.
However, while a section of the community was still gripped by the shock of the killing, another section was reveling in the political rally of the local government poll scheduled for today, December 2.
Saturday Sun learnt that it was at the rally that Arit Duncan, the widow of the deceased councillorship candidate was to be introduced as a replacement for her departed husband, whose sudden death some people said caused the reprisal killing by the youths, who felt that, the politician might have been killed by witches in the community.