May 09, (THEWILL) – Abduction of Alphonsus Uboh, a Catholic Priest on Sunday night, brought to a total of 20 persons kidnapped by unknown gunmen, who have besieged some communities in Mkpat Enin and Ekpat Akwa, in Oruk Anam and Mkpat Enin Local Government Areas of Akwa Ibom State within the last five months.
Abduction of Rev. Uboh came barely two weeks after a popular cleric and the president of Solid Rock Kingdom Church, Apostle John Okoriko, was whisked away from his apartment within the Church premises in Ibekwe Akpan Nya, Mkpat Enin Local Government Area.
THEWILL recalls that Apostle Okoriko was released after spending four days in the kidnappers’ den and an undisclosed amount paid as ransom out of N100,000,000, which was first demanded by the abductors.
Sources within the community told THEWILL that Father Alphonsus Uboh is the Parish Priest of X Parish, located at Ikot Abasi Akpan, along Ekparakwa Etinan road in Mkpat Enin local government area of the state.
An eyewitness, who pleaded anonymity, said the gunmen arrived at the church premises at exactly 7pm on Sunday in a motorcycle convoy, forced their way into the church premises and whisked the priest away on their motorcycle, after shooting sporadically into the air just to scare away people around.
“The operation yesterday was exactly the same way Apostle Okoriko was kidnapped two weeks ago. I suspect that they are the same people and maybe they have an operational base in this area.
“If we can count, over 20 persons have been kidnapped in this community within the last five months. Some of those kidnapped did not come back alive.
“Businesses are collapsing, no night life anymore in our communities and it seems nothing is being done to salvage the situation. Some persons kidnapped were not lucky because they had no money to pay for their release, so they just disappeared without even their bodies being recovered”, the source lamented.
Investigations reveal that gunmen have taken over the area, kidnapping and killing innocent people .
The communities where the nefarious activities of the hoodlums take place include Ekparakwa, villages along Ekparakwa/Ikot Abasi road in OrukAnam local government area, as well as Ikot Ebak, Ikot Akaam, Ibekwe Akpan axis in Mkpat council areas of the state.
THEWILL gathered that residents of the areas and other adjoining villages in OrukAnam and Mkpat Enin, have been robbed daily, while others are kidnapped for ransom.
A youth leader, who pleaded anonymity for security reasons, said more than 20 persons were abducted in the communities between November and April, adding that the area is not safe at the moment.
He listed other victims to include shop owners, civil servants such as teachers, nurses and local businessmen in the area.
He recalled that a Medical Doctor at Health Centre Ikot Ekpaw; a neighbouring village to Ekparakwa, was whisked away at gunpoint, while attending to patient in the theatre in February this year.
The Youth Leader disclosed that residents of the area especially in Ikot Akaam could not sleep with their eyes closed in their houses at night, while some have fled for fear of being kidnapped or killed by the gunmen.
He revealed dangerous spots along Ekparakwa-Ikot Abasi road, where the gunmen ambushed market women, traders and motorists for their operations.
He mentioned a deep pothole area after the former Hapel company yard, before the sharp corner to Ikot Ebak village as a very deadly zone where the gunmen hide to waylay their victims. Adding that many people have been killed on the spot.
He said the situation became worse when motorists diverted the bad spot on the road to another bypass in the village and the gunmen also relocated to the road, killing innocent commuters who resisted them in their robbery attempt.
“One day a woman who deals in palm oil returned from the market, unknown to her, the gunmen had laid ambush on the diverted road, they intercepted her, robbed her of N700,000 cash and killed her.”
Another Youth Leader, who refused to mention his name for fear of possible attack, disclosed that Ikot Ebak, Ibekwe Akpan Nya and neighbouring villages in OrukAnam local government areas have become the centre of kidnappers in recent times.
He said the climax of their operations was when the founder of Solid Rock Kingdom Church, Apostle John Okoriko, was abducted in his residence a few weeks ago.
Continuing, he said after the man of God was released from the kidnappers den, two persons were shot dead in the community last Wednesday.
“Even last Wednesday, after Apostle Okoriko was released, the gunmen returned to the village and killed Okoriko’s friend and one of his relatives in an early morning raid.
“The kidnappers have converted the bush in one of the primary schools to their hideout, where they caged their victims”, he said.
In a telephone interview, Akwa Ibom Police Public Relations Officer, Odiko Mcdon, confirmed the abduction of the Catholic Priest and other activities of gunmen in the area and promised to work on the criminals.
“We have received that report from the area and we are working on it”, he said.
