By Akakan Umoh
Open Forum, an advocacy body, has canvassed for a shift from selective and random benevolence to holistic compassion-driven support for victims of terrorism and disasters in Akwa Ibom State.
This is as the non-political organization urged Akwa Ibom government to formulate and prioritise victim-centred policies to guarantee justice, compassion and succour for victims of crimes, terrorism, disasters and abuse of power to enhancing their sustainable living after the traumatic incidents.
Addressing some journalists in Uyo at the weekend, the Founder of Open Forum, Citizen Matthew Koffi Okono, cited the victims of Ukanafun/Etim Ekpo Local Government Areas Cult/Militant activities particularly the shooting of Mr Inibehe Uwem Idiong (Inibehe Ukoka) and Miss Emasema Efremfon Ukoka on October 16, 2017.
Okono said the brother spent a lot, sold his belongings in Port Harcourt and relocated to Akwa Ibom to ensuring recovery of the brother, yet he still died leaving behind huge debts for the family.
He lamented that many people were adversely affected by the sad incidents that engulfed the two local government areas, resulting in loss of lives, properties, businesses, and rapes, among others, though many have not recuperated from the cult ‘war’ due to non-payment of compensation to resettle the victims.
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‘‘While the Akwa Ibom State Government granted amnesty to the gunmen and hosted a peace meeting with then Governor Udom Emmanuel and CP Adeyemi Ogunjemilusi in attendance on Tuesday, October 2, 2028 at Central Primary School, Ikot Akpa Nkuk Ukanafun LGA, their victims were abandoned to their fates.
‘‘Inibehe who had bullets lodged in his body and bedridden for about 6 years without money for necessary treatment died in February 2023. His sister, Emasema managed to survive and returned to the university to complete her studies. The family spent all they had desperately need Government support and a job for Emasema Efremfon Ukoka ameliorate their suffering.’’
He, therefore, appealed to the Akwa Ibom State government to come to the aid of these families and many others who suffered rapes, kidnapping and murder.
Moreover, he cited the Qua Iboe Church, Iwok, Nsit Atai Local Government Area attack by gunmen who kidnapped the late Maj. Gen. Edet Akpan, Rtd, murdered worshippers especially Mrs Lucy Sylvester Ekpo, Deaconess Grace Samuel Ekpo and wounded others on Sunday, January 31, 2010.
According to him, ‘‘the families of the dead victims were given the sum of N2.5 million each for the burial expenses with a promise to support the family members of the deceased after the interment. The promise has not been kept 16 years after.
‘‘All attempts by one of the sons of the victim, Mr Ime Sylvester Ekpo, son to murdered Deaconess Lucy Sylvester Ekpo, a civil servant to seek for compassion and succour has fallen on deaf ears.’’
The Founder of Open Forum further sought justice and succour for victims of the Ibedu, Nsit Atai LGA, Akwa Ibom State on the July 14, 2018 mayhem involving Citizen Matthew Koffi Okono (MKO), Founder and President, Open Forum, His Highness, Obong Akpan Douglas Ekott, Group Head, Ibedu, and others.
‘‘A politically motivated organised attack by sponsored hoodlums on guests on homage at the Palace of the Group Head of Ibedu, His Highness, Obong Akpan Douglas Ekott on Saturday, July 14, 2018 led to the death of two among the mobilised youths, burning of three vehicles, including the car of Citizen Matthew Koffi Okono (MKO) looting of the palace.
‘‘All attempts for justice and succour failed while the government that ignored all entreaties from victims and eminent individuals and group went ahead to compensate and empower one of the victims, Nseabasi Udoeyo and some of those who were suspected and invited by the police for interrogation over the mayhem.
‘‘Not even a 7-day hunger strike by Citizen Matthew Koffi Okono (MKO) who miraculously escaped being lynched by the hired hoodlums could appeal to the conscience of then Governor Udom Emmanuel to ensure justice before his exit from office.
‘‘Open Forum appeals to Governor Umo Eno to revisit the case with a view to ensuring justice for the victims.’’
He equally brought to the fore the gory murder on May 12, 2021 of 22-year old Ephraim Edet Okon, the second son of Rt. Hon. Edet Okon George, a former Caretaker Chairman of Nsit Atai LGA who was “intentionally” crushed to death by his supposed friend, Akpanikoabasi Okon James in front of his elder brother and others has thrown the father and the entire family into socio-economic and psychological trauma.
Ephraim had reportedly asked Akpanikoabasi for a refund of the sum of thirty thousand naira (N30,000) he borrowed from him. The story as narrated by the deceased father to Open Forum with Citizen MKO on Memories 96.5FM, Uyo is too gory and heartbreaking to pen. Some details sound like a script for a fiction movie. The suspect had faced trial and was subsequently convicted for murder and sentenced to death on December 17, 2024. The matter was handled by the Akwa Ibom State Government. The outcome indicates that justice had been done as the murderer has not escaped justice.
There is, however, a sad tale about the case. The family of the deceased, unlike in some of the well-attended to cases had no condolence visit of any kind from the Akwa Ibom State Government or any Government official throughout the period of their grief till date of this press conference (January 7, 2026). The trauma of the murder of young Ephraim who was looking forward to securing admission to the Nigerian Defence Academy has caused serious health and economic issues for the parent.
Their inability to attend to their sources of livelihood in the midst of financial challenges has caused them to become indigent and unable to meet basic financial needs of their remaining children. One of them is due for law school but the parent is unable to foot the bill.
To worsen the situation, their repeated correspondences to His Excellency, the Governor and Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs for show of compassion and succour have received no acknowledgement or response whatsoever.
The silence of the State Government in extending compassion and succor to the family of murdered Ephraim Edet Okon is not in tandem with how some other cases have been handled.
Open Forum appeals to His Excellency, Governor Umo Eno to show compassion and succour to Rt. Hon. Edet Okon George and his family. Financial support and his engagement will go a long way to strengthen the family and ensure their welfare.
Okono said ‘‘In view of a high level of violence, religious and political extremism, terrorism, criminality, disaster and in certain cases, abuse of power which have led to the death or incapacitation of most victims and their dependents in Akwa Ibom State and Nigeria as a whole, Open Forum, a public policy advocacy organisation, voice for the voiceless and justice accelerators for the oppressed hereby call for a victim-centric policy to ensure a more just and supportive society for victims of crime, disaster, violent and no-violent terrorism, such as abuse of power.’’
The need for an official policy for enhanced justice and essential support for verified victims to ensure they are treated with compassion and care while receiving necessary assistance required to heal and rebuild their lives has become imperative. The lack of a clear policy on addressing the justice and compassionate needs of this class of people has led to the disturbingly selective and random display of compassion and succour to some victims and dependents of some cases of violent crimes and misfortune in Akwa Ibom State and Nigeria.
To make matters worse, since some crimes are organised and perpetrated by certain individuals in high places, some of their victims have been either directly branded as the aggressors, while the aggressors swap their roles to play the role of victim(s). The wicked and manipulative aggressors end up awarding themselves or receiving “compassion” and “succour” from authorities while the real victims are made to pay dearly for a “crime” or “crimes” they never committed.
According to him, ‘‘Some of these unscrupulous individuals go to the extent of petitioning their victims to law enforcement agencies while others take legal actions despite being the culprits. Victims who dare to resist such narcissistic tendencies are blackmailed and branded as “rude”, “insolent” and “anti-system”, then blacklisted. This sort of attitude can only find expression and thrive in a society where leadership at various levels and or the government are complicit, or out rightly inefficient and a failure.
‘‘The reality is that some of those who believe they can hide behind bogus titles, offices and the protection of “the system” to oppress innocent citizens shall end up being exposed for who they are. This shall lead to demarketing the State or Country before local, national and or international communities as the case may be.
‘‘For record purposes and ease of reference for those who may not have deep insight as to why this advocacy is necessary, we will like to cite a few cases where victims of violent crimes were either abandoned, selectively, randomly showed compassion and succour, or well catered for by the State Government.
‘‘In some cases, cultists and religious extremists who terrorise, maim, murder and displace innocent citizens from their ancestral communities, have been severally given soft landings, empowerment and integration while their victims are abandoned to their fates or confined in Internally Displaced Persons’ (IDP) camps.’’
