Etim Ekpimah
Hoodlums have razed the office of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) at Afaha Ikot Ebak, headquarters of Essien Udim Local Government Area of Akwa Ibom State.
The hoodlums, who were said to be heavily armed and on motorbikes, breached the dusk-to-dawn curfew imposed by the state government on Essien Udim and other adjoining local government areas of Ikot Ekpene Federal Constituency, to launch the mayhem early Sunday around 3 am.
CitizenDiary learnt that the hoodlums launched another brutal attack on herdsmen leading to the killing of at least 12 cows grazing near a stream.
It was said that as soon as the hoodlums shot dead the cows, they fled the scene to an unknown destination forcing the herdsmen to flee too and alerted the security agencies.
A source who preferred to be anonymous, stated that some locals went to the scene of the incident to harvest on the dead cows not knowing that the herdsmen had alerted the 6 Battalion, Ibagwa in Abak Local Government Area.
The source said: “The soldiers who arrived in their numbers were said to have arrested and taken them away to answer for the death of cows.”
Confirming the arson on INEC Office, Essien Udim, Mr Don Etukudoh, the Director in-charge of Public Affairs at Akwa Ibom State headquarters of INEC, mentioned that he was yet to establish the motive of the arsonists who attacked the Essien Udim Office.
He said: “Yes, I can confirm to you that our office in Essien Udim has been burnt down. We are yet to get details.”
According to him, he would be in a better position to give details of the arson when properly briefed.
Mr. Anthony Luke, the Chairman of Essien Udim Local Government Area, described the incident as unfortunate, giving the fact that the local government area has in the recent times become an epicentre of cults war with security agencies including the Police, Customs and Army as well as government institutions targeted as objects of attacks.
It was gathered that a military operation including land and aerial bombardments were launched against the hoodlums last month in their base in Ntak Ikot Akpan in Essien Udim, and Luke believes the remnants who fled the operation have regrouped to continue the mayhem.
“Yes, it is true that the INEC office in my Local Government Area has been razed down by hoodlums. I don’t know who they are, what they want and the motive behind this violence.
“It is only the security agencies who have been on top of the situation that will be able to unravel the reasons behind these series of attacks.
“They hoodlums also attacked herdsmen. I think those herdsmen were taking their cows near where they launched the attack,” he said.
The state Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), SP Odiko MaCdon, could not pick his calls, but his colleague at the state headquarters, Ikot Akpan Abia, said he could be either in the church or in the company of the Commissioner of Police, Mr. Amiengheme Andrew, to inspect the scene of the incident.