The political tension which has been rocking Akwa Ibom State since the defection of its former governor, Godswill Obot Akpabio, from the opposition Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, to the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC, snowballed, on Tuesday, as some yet-to-be-identified gunmen reportedly stormed his country home in Ukana Ikot Ntuen, Essien Udim Local Government, while holding a political meeting.
Anietie Ekong, Akpabio’s media aide, disclosed this on his Facebook account Tuesday night. He expatiated, Wednesday, that Akpabio’s security details repelled the gunmen during the incident which occurred at about 7.30 p.m. and lasted about 15 minutes
This was how Ekong broke the news on his Facebook account: “On-going: sporadic shooting by unknown gunmen at Ukana Ikot Ntuen, Essien Udim Local Government, country home of former Senate Minority Leader, Senator Godswill Akpabio.
“The Divisional Police Officer, Essien Udim and the Commissioner of Police Akwa Ibom State should please urgently intervene.”
The Akwa Ibom State police command are yet to confirm the incident but neighbours said, Wednesday morning, that they saw police trucks parked in front of the former Senate Minority Leader’s home as early as 6a.m.
Ekong, who claimed to be at the meeting when the shooting occurred, said his boss was not harmed.
The media aide gave details while speaking to journalists Wednesday.
“The senator was at home holding political meeting with some APC groups,” he said. “A retired deputy inspector-general police, Udom Ekpoudom, was in that meeting. Bishop Samuel Akpan was also there. I was there as an observer. We were in the banquet hall.
“Suddenly, people who were not part of the meeting rushed into the banquet hall, so the senator enquired from them what was going on. Before anybody could explain, we heard gunshots, sporadic shooting, outside.
“The chief detail to the senator put out a radio message to all the policemen and other security men in the compound that they should be alert, that there is an attack.”
Attempts, by The Crest, to verify the incident from other sources didn’t yield any results at the time of this reporting.