Meanings have been read into the gunshots near the country home of Senator Godswill Akpabio, Ukana Ikot Ntue village, Essien Udim Local Government Area of Akwa Ibom State.
However, the Police have explained that the shots were as a result of security operatives engaging hoodlums in shooting.
The State Commissioner of Police, Mr. Adeyemi Ogunyemilusi, said the action “was not a confrontation with Senator Akpabio who was holding a political meeting in his residence.”
He added: “It was just a mere coincidence that the incident happened at about 7:30PM, on Tuesday, August 21, when the meeting was on-going at His Excellency’s residence.
“Immediately the hoodlums attacked the filling station, somebody at the meeting called me. The Area Commander and other policemen were drafted to the scene and within minutes, security was restored.
“You know how Ikot Ekpene is with these hoodlums on motorcycles. So it was just a flash occurence of petty thieves robbing a filling station near the residence of Akpabio.
“Even our quick response was applauded by the senator when he came out of the meeting to see our men heavily on guard around the area, so nobody should overheat the polity because of politics.” he said.
The media aide to Akpabio, Mr. Anietie Ekong, said: “The senator was at home holding political meeting with some APC groups. A retired deputy inspector-general police (DIG), 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 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,” he said while lauding security operatives for their quick intervention.