Etim Ekpimah, Uyo
A group of armed men in Ife, Mkpat Enin Local Government Area of Akwa Ibom State, have killed a preacher, popularly known as Nnamani.
The hoodlums also shot and chopped off one Sunday Akpan’s left buttock.
It was learnt that the village hooligans had threatened few days earlier to deal with the preacher for ‘disturbing them with message about repentance.’
The Village Head, Chief Saturday Isemin, a retired assistant superintendent of police, told Southern City News in Ife on Thursday that the gangsters dragged the preacher to a bush near the back of a primary school in the night, where they killed him and hid his corpse.
“People saw some of those hooligans drag the preacher in the night to a bush where they killed him and hid his corpse. Since that time, nobody has said anything about the killing of the innocent man.
“His offence was that he used to disturb them with his preaching. They said that he would be going around asking people to give their lives to Christ,” he said.
Speaking on the attack on Akpan, the village head said he had been admitted in Etinan General Hospital, where he was receiving treatment.
He said Akpan could not sit on the bed except by lying down as his buttock had been cut off by the gang men.
A report signed by Investigation Police Officer, Mr. Dominic Asuquo, an inspector, indicated that Akpan was beaten with machete and shot on the right leg.
“The patient was attacked on Tuesday, June 6, 2017 at 5pm in Ife Town, Mkpat Enin LGA by gang men (six), three used guns and one Unyime also used machete.
Isemin said the problem started in the village when the youths locked and beat up the elders who were having an executive council meeting in the hall.
He added that a security guard who had the keys to the premises was severely beaten up and later they placed a table on his head on which one hefty member of the gang sat.
Speaking also, the youth president of Ife Town, Mr. Tony Akpan, said the police in the area had compromised as the boys wield guns at their presence.
He added that the policemen know the hoodlums by name.
He said, “There have been series of problems in our community starting from August 12 last year. We were at executive meeting at the council hall. The meeting started at 7am and after saying the prayer, we saw two men.
“Barely had the meeting started when the two men left and mobilised some of their members to our meeting place. They locked us up and gave all the elders, including me, thorough beating.
“We couldn’t call the police as they seized our phones. They carted away N305,000 that was in my bag which was supposed to be given to somebody.
“If not for one DSS personnel that wanted to see one of us by coming there, we don’t know what they would have done with us.
“What they told the DSS personnel was that they do not want us to be their leaders, saying we are thieves.”
The Police Public Relations Officer in the state, Mr. Chukwu Ikechukwu, said the police were not aware of crime in Ife.
He said he would wire the District Police Officer in the area for information on the crime.
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