April 29, (THEWILL) – A serial killer, Malachi Friday Uwem, who has been terrorising residents of Ikot Ambang, Use Ntuen, Okobo, in Ibiono Ibom and Itu Local Government Areas and other communities along Ikot Ekpene Road within Akwa Ibom State capital city in the last six months, was reportedly apprehended and subsequently killed by the police in the state.
People within the vicinity including Itu and Ikot Ekpene local Government Areas have lived in palpable fear of this dreaded serial killer and his gang.
The said Malachi, aged 24 and his gang, have reportedly a killed over 50 persons and have left some of his victims permanently maimed, some presently in hospitals, while others are counting their losses from his barbaric robbery acts, which has led to the closing of many businesses, especially POS, in these places.
According to a press statement by the Akwa Ibom State command, on 20/2/22, the notorious armed Robber and serial killer robbed and shot one Miss Lovina Eze Chiwendu, a Youth Corper at Ikot Ambang and made away with her iphone, ATM card and the sum of Seven Thousand Naira, she died last week at Enugu Teaching Hospital.
Also, on 21/2/22, the suspect robbed and killed a female teacher returning from school at Okobo Ibiono, who had stopped over at a POS shop, this resulted to a protest by Youths of the area who blocked the Uyo/Ikot Ekpene Expressway.
Furthermore, on 5/3/22, one Mrs Idongesit Damson was shot and killed in her house at Okobo Ibiono by the suspect, he also shot one Wisdom, which also led to a protest and blockade of the Uyo/Ikot Ekpene Expressway.
Several POS shops and filling stations have been robbed by the suspect and his gang at Okobo Ibiono, Itak axis and Uyo.
The statement which was endorsed by the Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Odiko MacDon, stated further that only recently, on Monday, 25th April, he shot and killed two young men, on the grounds that the village couldn’t meet his demand of twenty Million Naira (N20m), but were only able to raise five million Naira (N5m).
THEWILL gathered that there was an incident recently, where Malachi, the gang leader threatened a village, that if he is not given the sum of N500,000, he would invade and kill the villagers. They hurriedly sourced for the amount and gave to him and his gang just to prevent his wrath.
It was gathered that when the police got wing of it, the community was raided, even as the elders were bundled to the police headquarters at Ikot Akpan Abia, accused of raising money for the suspect to purchase ammunition, even as they were made to bail themselves with N50,000 each.
Fillers from the most affected communities, has it that the prime suspect, Malachi Uwem, has been terrorising the area for over three years and only got his activities intensified within the last few months.
“The boy has supernatural powers, being able to appear and disappear at crime scenes, he has killed over 60 people. The police have known about him long ago, but I don’t know why they weren’t acting. It got worse when he started killing people at random.
“The youths of Ikot Ambang and environs were forced to stage a protest on the day he killed one school teacher with her husband, while they were returning from work on a motorcycle. Even that day, police came to the scene, only to disperse the protesters.” A man, Mr Moses, who had to close his shop along the Road recounted.
“I had to close my wife’s shop along Ikot Ambang Road for safety, when her neighbor was shot dead in cold blood as she just closed from the day’s business. It happened before us and as we managed to drive home that evening, I told her never to go there again”, he narrated further.
Before he met his Waterloo, it was too much on the people and they took it upon themselves to bring Malachi, who had reportedly killed his two children.
It was gathered that the killer sneaked and rented a one room apartment in Ntiat Community in Itu LGA. When it was discovered, the house was raided in the night, but his whereabout was not known.
According to the police statemy, on the marching order and close supervision of the State Commissioner of Police, Andrew Amiengheme, on April 28th, 2022 at about 0300hrs, in a painstaking operation, Operatives of Special Weapons And Tactics Squad (SWAT) of the Command led by CSP Julian Igbudu, traced the hoodlums to their hideouts at Ikang in Akpabuyo Local Government Area Of Cross River State.
” the said Malachi Friday Uwem, his second in command Wisdom Sunday Akpan ‘m’, 31 years, Ndifreke Sunday Ebong ‘m’ 20yrs, and Annansia Umoh ‘m’ 33yrs resisted arrest and engaged the Operatives in a gun duel, and in the ensuing milieu, three of the gang members were fatally injured while attempting to escape.
“Exhibits Recovered from them included:
(a)One Cut to Size Pump Action Gun
(b)One Locally made Pistol
(c) A large number of cartridges
(d) One Gas Head with a resemblance of a Gun
(e) Assorted types of charms”
The Police Commissioner thanked and congratulates the personnel of SWAT, other Tactical Teams, the Government, the Intelligence community, and the good people of Akwa Ibom State.
He emphatically warned, that Akwa Ibom State can never be safe a haven for hoodlums as the command under his watch will continue to spare no resources in bringing perpetrators to book.
He warned those involved in any form of heinous crimes in the state to relocate from the state or be smoked out as there will be no hiding place henceforth.
