Debam vs Iceland: Two dead in Akwa Ibom; Inen community deserted

Residents of the Inen community in the Oruk Anam Local Government Area of Akwa Ibom State have reportedly fled their homes following a fresh clash between the Debam and Iceland confraternities, which claimed two lives on Saturday.

It was gathered that the victims’ corpses were found on a narrow bush path leading to one of the neighbourhoods on Sunday.

According to PUNCH, an eyewitness, Mrs Nko Etukudoh, said, “We woke up this morning (Sunday) to see two corpses on the footpath leading to another village. On inspection, we discovered that it was our brother, Ufot Johnson-Uwah, also known in the community as A’Raggae, and one other, Papa Lucky, from the Etok Inen village. We were shocked.”

“A’Raggae was lying down naked with his boots on his legs. Blood was oozing out from his nose. Papa Lucky was lying down with his clothes intact.”

She said the elder brother of A’Raggae, Iboro, along with the village head, called the police in Oruk Anam, who rushed to evacuate the corpses to the mortuary.

Etukudoh explained that A’Raggae was a youth activist and socialite before he was engaged by the Al Madal Construction Company, which was handling road construction in the community, while Lucky was a speedboat helmsman ferrying foodstuffs and passengers from the community to the Bonny Island in Rivers State.

A source, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said A’Raggae was the Chairman of the Inen Vigilante Task Force and worked to secure the area against thieves before the construction firm engaged him as chief security officer.

The source added that when the cults clashed two months ago, killing six persons in the community, the deceased was invited by the police, but he turned down the invitation.

“After the killing of two soldiers on this road last year, the company handed over security at the site to A’Raggae, but last month, one of the persons killed during a cult clash was a company employee, who was cut into pieces. Today, the chief security officer of the company and another person have been killed,” the source said.

The PRO of the state police command, Mr Fredricks Nnudam, while confirming the story said: “I just received a report from the DPO that there was a cult-related case in the area and two persons have been confirmed dead. And some persons have been arrested in connection with the killing. I don’t know the number of persons arrested for now .

“ But two persons have been confirmed dead. The Commissioner of Police has directed the anti cultism unit of the command to take charge of the area. So for now, the police have taken control by patrolling the area to ensure that there is law and order.”

He said the command would soon despatch police personnel to apprehend and bring the culprits to justice and restore normalcy to the community.