Suspected cultists burn down police outstation in A’ Ibom

Isaac Job, Uyo

Dbam and Iceland confraternities involving in bloody clashes terrorizing Inen community in OrukAnam local government area, Akwa Ibom state in the last eight months on Monday night   burn down police post at Inen Junction while residents flee their homes.

It was gathered that  policemen posted to the  substation known as ” Inen Ekeffe police post”  absconded from their duty post in the wake of cult related violence in the area  leaving the hoodlums  to engage  in daily  reprisal attacks .

Our Correspondent also gathered that the cultists always overpowered the police   killing and maiming members of rival gang and innocent people in the community.

An eyewitness Mfonobong Okorie said the cultists numbering over 30 barricaded the community road between Faith Tabernacle Church, Inen Ikot Etim and the gate of Al Madal construction company where they snatched two motorcycles belonging to one Udeme Atanong and Ndifreke otu respectively.

“Residents who wanted to visit their houses to obtain food items and rush back to their settlement camps in neighbouring villages were trapped in the bush while the hoodlums molested and maimed anybody passing on the road “

Continuing, Okorie said after some hours the cultists regrouped and moved towards Inen Junction where they burnt down the police substation at about 7pm chanting war songs “

He recalled that  the cultists went beserk when  an Elder was shot during vestry prayer  in the church  and a retired police Inspector was maimed in the same community both of them receiving treatment now in an undisclosed hospital in the state.

Okorie explained that the burnt police post was the second within three days after a former councillor’s house was destroyed by the cultists.

” This police station was a rented property. It doesn’t belong to government but this night the cultists invaded the building and set it ablaze “

Speaking to our correspondent, one of the community leaders Mr. Anyanime Umoren condemned the killings and wanton destruction of lives and property saying such mayhem was unprecedented in the history of the community.

Umoren, a Public Relations Officer of Inen Stakeholders Forum said the community leaders have written several letters to governor Udom Emmanuel to act immediately to restore peace to the once quiet community but no response in any form.

” I don’t know what has come over our youths. Right now, many people have deserted this Community except aged persons who have nowhere to run to. Please let governor Udom Emmanuel rescue us. We have written several letters to the governor but no response. Killings continues here. No police to challenge these hoodlums”

However, the police Public Relations Officer, Akwa Ibom state command, SP Odiko Mcdon has confirmed the incident but argued that the building was dilapidated structure rented as an out station of Nigeria Police.

” The building is a dilapidated one that was previously owned by police as an out-station office for our personnel but later shutdown because of inadequate manpower in the force.”

Mcdon dismissed the incident as an ordinary fire that gutted an abandoned building in the area saying everything should not be attributed to cultism.

” How do you know that the fire was ignited by cultists? Everything there may not be cultism