Criminal activities: Obio Itak wants Village Head removed

Relative peace being enjoyed by the people of Obio Itak in Ikono Local Government area has been disrupted following series of criminal activities going on in the area in recent time.

Narrating the story while conducting to our reporter round the village, a Community Leader, Chief Effiong Akpan said trouble started in the village since Mr. Etim Alexander Ubeng was presented with certificate as the Village Head of Obio Itak against the wish of the people who had through due process, selected Chief James Charles Udouwah as the Village Head-elect.

Chief Akpan who was flanked by other elders and youths said because of the questionable character of Chief Etim Alexander Ubeng, criminal activities such as armed robbery, kidnapping of children among others have been happening in the village.

The Community Leader explained that recently a suspect was arrested and taken to his palace, instead of the Village Head handling the matter or report it to the police, he ordered that they should take him away and treat him as a thief. According to Chief Akpan, the suspect was taken out of the palace, killed and roasted. “Since the illegal presentation of certificate to Mr. Etim Ubeng, this village has not been the same again. Because he is a dubious person and a man of questionable character, criminal activities have taken over the place. This is a man who was disfellowshiped by Church of Christ, Obio Itak in 2013. He was also rejected as the Village Head by his kinsmen (Nung Akakan) and the clan council. Is this the type of person that should rule this village as Village Head”, the Community Leader queried.

Others who spoke with our reporter, called on the state government to retrieve the certificate from Chief Etim Ubeng and dethrone him from the stool.

It was also gathered that some thugs recently stormed a popular community market in the area (Urua Udo), shooting sporadically and disrupted activities in the market.
A youth activist, Comrade Itoro Sunday appealed to government to come to their aid as the community is no more safe for residents.

Comrade Sunday said that one of the brothers of the Village Head always claimed to have the power that be at the top, stressing that nothing can happen to the chief.

When our reporter visited the palace of the village Head to hear his own side of the story, he was said to be at the State Police Headquarters at Ikot Akpan Abia in connection with the killing of the man near his palace.