The Police Command in Akwa Ibom State has confirmed the killing of two security guards working at Sulfuk Nigeria Ltd. Fabrication Yard, along Terminal Road.
The State Police Public Relations Officer, SP Odiko Macdon, confirmed this in Eket, Akwa Ibom on Thursday.
He said thieves broke into the yard and killed two security guards using matchetes on them, and carted away armoured cables.
Macdon said that the incident happened on January 29, about 10 a.m.
“The Police Command in Akwa Ibom has been updated about a report going around that Ibeno indigenes killed two Eket sons in Ibeno Local Government Area (LGA).
“As a command, we do not join issues with either two local governments because the constitution mandates us with the responsibility of providing security for the entire Akwa Ibom and not a particular local government area.
“However, our attention had been drawn to what we can call hatred and generalisation from the two local governments,’’ he said.
Macdon said that the command had removed the bodies and deposited them at the mortuary.
He said that the Commissioner of Police in the state, Mr Amiengheme Andrew, had ordered a discreet investigation into the matter.
“As I speak, the Commissioner of Police, Andrew has ordered an investigation to be conducted.
“We are more concerned because people have come out with allegations and counter allegations, claims and counter claims.
“Preliminary, that is the report at our disposal, it wasn’t Ibeno people that killed Eket sons deliberately, but a burglar that took place at the facility,” he said.
Macdon gave the names of the deceased as Ekpuk Sampson from Ikot Afaha and Friday Ukot, from Ikot Usekong, all in Eket LGA.
He urged the two local government areas to see themselves as brothers and stop igniting tension among themselves.
Macron warned people who were quick to post things on social media to desist from it, saying that it was not proper to quickly post something without verifying the facts.
“At this point in time, it is immature and very improper for anybody to come and say a particular set of people have killed another set of people,” he said.
Macdon said the command was aware of the lingering crisis between the two local government areas which has to do with the about to be constructed refinery in the area.
“Investigation is ongoing, we don’t want anybody to tamper with the investigation for now until the investigation is concluded,’’ he said.
Macdon assured people of the state that the perpetuators of the crime would not go unpunished.
