Inen Community in Oruk Anam Local Government Area of Akwa Ibom state on Tuesday denied being party to the killing of two soldiers and the abduction of an expatriate engineer to a construction company which occurred in the area over the weekend.
The elders of the community also threatened to employ the services of traditional injunction to fish out perpetrators of the crime.
The Clan Head in Council of Inen Clan, Chief Johnson Obosi, in a press conference, placed a traditional death injunction on collaborators of the crime and exonerated the community from conspiracy in such heinous crime.
He claimed that the perpetrators infiltrated into their community from other boundary of Rivers State and promised to fish them out in no distant time.
Chief Obosi said the community is known for peace and tranquility and pleaded with the State government not to discontinue with its developmental projects in the area especially the road construction as they were innocent of the crimes.
He also appealed to the Inspector General of Police, Mohammad Adamu, and the Commissioner of Police, Zaki Ahmed, to reactivate the abandoned police post in the community with the necessary manpower and logistics to provide protective coverage for the community and its environs.
He noted that the Police post which was built in 1994 and commissioned by the then CP had six policemen manning it but succeeding CPs and DPOs gradually withdrew the policemen, adding that already the community has employed local vigilante and bought them tools with which to work but that they are incapacitated without the police.
“This sad news shocked the fabric of our community and clan in general because, for a long time, we have not had sporadic gun shots of such magnitudes. This episode which occurred in a commando style was not only mind boggling but devastating, causing panic and tension in our community.
“As we speak, some villagers have fled their places of abode to neighbourhood communities for fear of the unknown. The Clan-in-Council, leaders of thought and the entire Inen Community condemn and disassociate ourselves from this unfortunate incident and will be willing to lend support to the authority to ensure freedom of the expatriate.
“Our community is known for peace and tranquility that characterise a typical African local setting. These neighbourhood infiltrators have again inflicted pains and agony in our community and the families of the departed soldiers. We sincerely appeal to them to give peace a chance in the larger interest of our good neighbourhood,” he stated.
Youth President of the community, Mr. John Adaedem said the incident took the community by surprise but exonerated the youths of the area from the crimes.
He said, “The incident is a surprise to us. As youths, we are not involved in the crime. We are willing to provide the necessary information to unravel the incidence and appeal to the government not to abandon us and the good work it has started here.”
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