A’Ibom: Suspected Cultists Kill Youth Leader, Injure Scores

Gunmen suspected to be cultists have killed the youth president of Atai Ibiaku community in Itu local government area of Akwa Ibom state, Comrade Edet Ibanga.

Scores of persons were also badly injured in the attack on Wednesday at a rented apartment along Ikpa road Uyo.

The building is said to be mostly occupied by students of the University of Uyo (UNIUYO).

The Nation gathered the assailants, numbering about 18, struck around 10 am obviously in search of the deceased.

Miss Blessing, daughter of the deceased, who is a 200-Level Banking\Finance student of UNIUYO, heaped curses on those behind the death of her father.

“God will not allow them to go unpunished,” she said, adding “I will not be able to give details because they just called me from school this morning to come home where I discovered this shocking incident of my father being shot dead by armed criminals”.

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An eyewitness, Imoh Ekim, told reporters hoodlums stormed the residence demanding to know someone having an issue with his girlfriend.

”The deceased, being the youths’ President had to rush from his compound to the opposite compound at Urua Ekpa Road upon hearing the sound of gunshots and heated arguments involving the people.

“He was shot in the chest immediately he opened the gate of the compound to try to enter with a view to settling the dispute but oblivious of the fact that one armed cultist, who was stationed to man the gate opened fire directly and he went down,” he explained.

His remains were later deposited in a mortuary before family members went to the nearby Itam Police station to report the incident.

Confirming the incident, Akwa Ibom Police spokesman Mr Odiko Macdon, a Police Superintendent (SP), described the incident as unfortunate, adding Police operatives had since swung into action as directed by the Commissioner of Police (CP), Mr. Amiengheme Andrew.