Scavenger kills boy over minor disagreement in A’Ibom

Ini Billie, Uyo

A scavenger whose identity has yet to be determined, killed a boy, one Edikan Edoho in Eket Local Government Area of Akwa Ibom State following a mild disagreement.

The incident followed the ban on the activities of scavengers by the Akwa Ibom State Government on January 4, 2022, after a scavenger stabbed a young man to death.

It was said that the victim was gruesomely murdered in the early hours of March 20 at the Marina Junction in Eket.

The Police Public Relations Officer, Akwa Ibom State Command, SP Odiko Macdon, who confirmed the incident, said the culprit has been detained in Eket Police Station.

Speaking at the home of the deceased family in Afaha Eket village while consoling with them, Chairman of Eket LGA, Mr Akaniyene Tommy, condemned the attack.

Tommy sued for calm and called on all the youths in the area to avoid any act of retaliation as it would fuel the crisis further.

He added that the combined Team of Police Force and Military Task Force (JTF) operating in Eket apprehended the culprit, saying the suspect would face the full wrath of the law.

He promised that he would do all within his powers to ensure there is no repeat of such act announced a re-enforcement of the ban.

He explained that anyone seen engaging in such activities would be duly arrested and handed over to the security agencies in the state.

On his part, the Youth Leader of the Hausa community in Eket, Alhaji Ibrahim Iliya condemned the murder of Edikan Edoho by one of his Hausa brothers.

Iliya noted that the Hausa community was peace-loving, adding that having stayed for more than 31 years in Eket, he cannot support any form of violence in the area by any of their subjects.

He called on the law enforcement agencies to take their full course on the arrested culprit.