Akwa Ibom government has given criminal elements operating in Etim Ekpo and Ukanafun local government areas a 21-day ultimatum to renounce violence and embrace amnesty.
The suspected criminals have held the two local government areas under captivity for months, killing, kidnapping, maiming and raping innocent persons and visitors in the areas.
Governor Udom Emmanuel, who was accompanied by Mr. Sheik Waziri, the State Director of Department of State Security, DSS, and Mr. Adeyemi Ogunjemilusi, the Commissioner of Police, announced the amnesty Wednesday during a town hall at Etim Ekpo local government secretariat, Utu Etim Ekpo.
Emmanuel remarked, “Immediately after Easter, we would meet with some stakeholders and look at the report so that we can take adequate measures. But I want to use this forum to appeal to all our youths that enough is enough. If you have any issue, report to that committee and I will look into it.”
The governor further announced the constitution of 23-member Peace Committee has been constituted to look into issues threatening peace and security in Etim Ekpo and Ukanafun local government areas.
The committee consists of 11 members and 12 other persons from Etim Ekpo and Ukanafun respectively including the chairmen of both councils.
Giving an insight into the formation of the committee, Emmanuel said one person would be drawn from each electoral ward and headed by each of the members representing the local government areas in the state House of Assembly, advising the committee to seek the expertise of Udom Ekpoudom, retired Deputy Inspector General of Police, DIG, for guidance.
In constituting the committee, he pledged to separate the committees and allow them to sit in their respective areas after inauguration, to involve the youths and women leaders of the two local government areas, calling on the people to freely express their minds.
Emmanuel who reiterated his administration’s resolve to focus on building the economy enjoined Akwa Ibom persons to make the state safe to attract the needed investments, stating that the town hall meeting was the last peace move in the affected councils.
According to the Governor, “the solution lies in the people of these local government areas determining that they want to have peace. And I want to believe that we have all decided today that we want to have peace.”
The State Chief Executive, who blamed the escalation of crisis on a breakdown of morality by the family institution, charged parents to monitor the activities of their wards, cautioning against arming the youths in the guise of mobilising support for the upcoming general elections in 2019.
He advised hard drug peddlers to desist from such activities, informing the police to locate and arrest those who are culpable, urging the youths to avail themselves of government development programmes that would enable them to be self-reliant and restore the dignity of the society.
In his remarks, Mr. Waziri, the DSS boss, advised indigenes of the two councils to repose confidence in the state government in guaranteeing peace, restating the readiness of security agencies to restore peace in the affected local government areas.
He solicited cooperation of the people by offering useful information that would lead to arrest of criminal elements, assuring to protect information and identity of the informants.
The director wondered that few youths would cause mayhem and drive away a greater number of peace-loving people from conducting their legitimate businesses, describing the situation as unfortunate.
On his part, Mr. Ogunjemilusi, the State Commissioner of Police said that it is the primary responsibility of the police to restore peace in the two areas, hoped with the proscrption of secret cultism in the state, there would be no hiding place for cultists.
The Police boss indicated that the command would not tolerate individuals who would approach the police authorities for the release of any arrested cultist, stating, “Let us all determine that this Easter, we should make Etim Ekpo and Ukanafun a safe place for as many sons and daughters to come home and celebrate. We cannot abandon these two local government areas for criminals.”
Setting the tone for the event, Udeme Eduo, the Chairman of Etim Ekpo local government area, commended the governor for the peaceful council elections in the state and for the industrialization drive of his administration.
Eduo attributed the insecurity in Etim Ekpo to the proximity of the area to Abia and Rivers States, forcing criminals there to collaborate with those from neighbouring states and have access to arms and ammunition to perpetrate violence.
While pledging support for the present administration, the council helmsman registered condemnation of the elders and stakeholders in the area over the criminal acts by those he styled ‘enemies of progress’, assuring that some people were ready to cooperate with the government in stemming the tide of their operations.
In his contribution, Obong Amanam Akpan Udo, the Paramount Ruler of Etim Ekpo identified youths’ dependency on government and distrust between the police the people as issues encouraging insecurity on the area, adding that given necessary support from the police, the royal fathers would volunteer information on what is happening in their respective domains.
A woman leader from Ukanafun, Mrs.Victoria Uko said insecurity has disrupted economic activities in Ukanafun and led to separation of many families, expressing delight that the state government was taking practical steps to end the menace.
In her words, “I can tell you that the solution we were looking for is what you have told us, that you have given them pardon for three weeks. We will now take the message to them and whoever wants to come out, will do so. Why I am confident is that those who were kidnapped and later released had informed us that the kidnappers said they were willing to come out of hiding if assured of amnesty by the government. I’m sure they will come out because it is getting too much.”
Others who also contributed were: the Vice Chairman of Ukanafun local government area, Mr. Umakiso Umoh; a woman leader from Etim Ekpo L.G.A. Mrs. Uko, Mr. Nana Udom, Mr. Bassey Michael, Mr. Edidiong Hanson and Mr. Otobong Isong.
Top government functionaries in the Governor’s entourage included Mr. Moses Ekpo, the State Deputy Governor, Dr. Emmanuel Ekuwem, the Secretary to the State Government, SSG and some members of the State Executive Council.
See photos from the event:
