THE LATEST EDITION OF THE INK NEWSPAPER

Akpabio attacks Ibibio

The leadership and  members of a socio political organization in the state, Ntippe Ibibio organization comprising of the citizens of Ikono and Ini local Government Areas say, they are angry that the Government had to send armed policemen to disrupt and stop the inauguration of the Association last Saturday at Ikono describing the development as very sad and a call for war.

Speaking to journalists in Uyo after the disruption of the event, community leaders Obong Bassey Inuaeyen, Senator Aloysious Etok, Dr Clement Bassey and the chairman of Contact and mobilization of the event described the action as callous and an attempt to provoke them into taking the laws into their hands. The seasoned politicians in their separate speeches acknowledged that they have fulfilled all the things expected of them to have in order to host the event at the Ikono Council hall but were however surprised that the council Chairman of Ikono after graciously approving the venue for them called them two days to the event to tell them that the venue will not be free for useage that day. They maintained that when they got that information, they had to change and picked an alternative venue, a School for the event. They lamented why the powers from above should send police and armed men to the venue to seal it off, break a camera belonging to one of those that came to cover the event and then disgraced the sanctity of the event of Ntippe Ibibio. The quartet maintained that whoever did that made a costly mistake and will have to pay very dearly for it.

Okobo Youths at war with stakeholders over attack on LG Chairman

Youths of Okobo local government area have threatened fire and brimstone against some stakeholders in the area who are busy dusting their political arsenal to launch onslaught against the executive chairman of Okobo local government area, Princess Felicia Bassey as 2015 election approaches.

The youths under the aegis of Okobo Youths Alliance for Democracy and Good Governance noted that those who are being haunted by the rising and intimidating political profile of Princess Felicia Bassey and her robust relationship with the wife of the Governor Mrs. Ekaette Unoma Akpabio have been left with no option than to resort to empty blackmail, propaganda, sponsoring of fictitious and baseless publications in desperation to salvage their sinking political relevance.

 Addressing newsmen in Okobo yesterday, the National Coordinator of the Group Comrade Anwana Esedeke and Secretary, Mr. Samuel Anso accused two prominent indigenes of the area. One who is a member of the State Executive Council and a gubernatorial aspirant in the 2015 elections and the other who is in the House of Assembly as those behind serial spurious allegations in some state tabloids to the effect that the Executive chairman was misappropriating the council funds with impunity since she assumed office and acquired an hostel in Calabar and Warehouse in Dubai.

Navy arrests 3 suspected kidnappers in Akwa Ibom

Nigerian Navy has apprehended three suspected kidnappers at Ebughu town in Ibaka, Mbo Local Government Area of Akwa Ibom.

Parading the suspects before newsmen in Ikot Abasi, Commodore Joel Ogazi, Commander, Nigerian Navy NNS Jubilee, said the suspected were arrested in Ibaka following a tip off during operation.
The suspects arrested were Mr Gabriel Asuquo, Bassey Nyong and Gideon Ebong.

According to him, some of the suspect criminals escaped. The community and the navy personnel are on their trials to see how we can arrest them.

Ogazi told newsmen that the victim had been released and he is presently in their custody.
“I can confirm to you that the captain of a fishing trawler that was kidnapped had been released and is presently in our custody.

2 pastors feared dead as cultists, emblem touts storm Ukanafun

The Pastor in charge of the Full Gospel Church of God, Ikot Akpan Efaha in Ukanafun Local Government Area, may not survive severe injuries he sustained from suspected cultists who stormed the child dedication reception venue of his member, shortly after church service last Sunday.

The Ink Newspaper gathered that one Odudu Monday Mark, Alias Carpon who dedicated his child at the said church had later invited members to come to his family compound for reception where dinning and winning went on. 

A source said it was while this was on that the celebrant who is alleged to a proud member of Iceland had a misunderstanding with his elder brother, Uyo Monday Mark. The source who attended the ceremony said that it was at this point that Carpon invited an Okrika-based Kingpin of the group, George Effiong Akpaiya who was home for the event to come over as ‘civilians’ had insulted him. In the spirit of the fraternity, the guys arrived and descended on the celebrant’s elder brother, the pastor and others. 

World Health Day: The need for re-enlightenment of health workers BY PRISCILLA CHRISTOPHER

The World Health Day which was celebrated worldwide on Monday, 7th of April may have come and gone but issues making up the reason for the setting aside of a day for its commemoration would always remain. Like other society-helping holidays, the World Health Day is aimed at informing people with information about the increasing threat of killer-diseases, amongst other reasons. 

There is no doubt in the fact that the evolution of civilization and the abuse of certain healthy habits has given rise to the invasion of danger disease worldwide. HIV/AIDs, Tuberculosis, Cancer and Malaria are four of the world’s deadliest diseases. Together, they sicken and kill many, mostly in poor developing parts of the world. They also take a heavy toll on young people; keeping workers out of their jobs. 

Many international organizations are focused on fighting these diseases which affects at least, one in three people around the world and causes the workforce of an economy to dwindle. It is amazing however that the number of physicians and the proliferation of drugs and medication has not helped in curbing the scourge of killer-diseases. Malaria has now become a monthly illness treated by some in many places of the world. The same goes for typhoid and other diseases whose treatment costs a fortune.

The spate of indecent dressing among students BY JOY BASSEY

                                       
Indecent dressing stands out as one of the social anomalies which has negatively impacted on the moral consciousness of the youths, and destroyed their sense of moral judgment. The battle against indecent dressing is an issue which has generated controversy overtime; not only in Nigeria, but in other countries. This has led to the definition of dress codes for students by some higher institutions of learning, in their bid to put indecent dressing on check.

At the national level, our leaders and some concerned individuals have tried to initiate bills and laws that would regulate our general conduct, dressing and public behavior. Though, some of these bills have been worked-on, some others are yet to see the light of a healthy deliberation. This, then questions the competency of parents, schools, guardians and role models in their duty of protecting the society’s norms and values. Can they confidently proclaim that they have done enough to curb the vogue of the expanding trend in indecent dressing?

Police vs Uyo four Journalists: Govt confirms instigating action

* Anietie Ukpe attacks, abuses Clifford Thomas for kicking against illegal action on quartet
* The words of the CPS is an unfortunate ranting from an ignorant opportunist- CLO President

Indications have emerged that the state Government must have directed and set up the Akwa Ibom Police command against the four journalists believed to be critical in their editorial principles. THE INK can authoritatively report. The confirmation of this revelation was done by the Senior Special Assistant and Chief Press Secretary to the Governor Pastor Anietie Ukpe over the weekend when he called the state President of the Civil Liberties Organization of Nigeria, Mr. Clifford Thomas on phone and attacked him on why he should support the journalists by issuing a Press release challenging the decision of the police to invite the quartet.

Patrick Antia’s position on the invited journalists

 

The recent invitation of some publishers by the Akwa Ibom State Police command for a “chat”... towards 2015 elections is unnecessary. I believe the action is a calculated and veiled witch hunt sponsored by certain elements within the Akpabio led administration, with intent to intimidate media practitioners to submission. My questions to the Police command are:

1. Since when did the police become the organ that regulates the operation and activity of newspapers?

2. Has the police fished out the killers of Late Albert Ukpanah who was assassinated in the night of Wednesday, 12th March 2014, my late father Chief Ekpe Otu Antia; who was brutally assassinated on the 25th day of January, 1997 in Uyo, Iniekong Udonwa’s mother who was murdered in the build up to 2007 gubernatorial polls and the Ekpenyong brothers, amongst others.

WE CONDEMN HARASSMENT OF THE MEDIA PRACTITIONERS

As we march into the threshold of yet another transition of one civilian administration to another, it is required that institutions of society saddled with the task of priming the process, particularly all security agencies in the country, build their capacities to resist the temptation of using brute force to gag the Nigerian press and media organizations.

This observation is coming on the heels of the recent letter from the State Intelligence Bureau of the Nigeria Police, State Headquarters of the Akwa Ibom State Command in Uyo dated 4th April, 2014, which to all intent and purposes is a veiled threat at violating the constitutional rights of freedom of speech, and the globally accepted principle of free speech.

Written to the Editors-in-Chief of four local tabloid in Uyo, viz:- The Guide newspaper, Global Concord newspaper, The INK  newspaper, and The RADAR newspaper, we believe strongly that the letter is a subtle threat to the editors, and conceals an intension we suspect is not benevolent at all, but malevolent in character.

WHO KILLED WHO DURING NIGERIAN CIVIL WAR IN 1968: A COMPENDUM FORM HIS HIGHNESS LATE CHIEF E. O EYO, OBONG IKPAISONG IBIBIO YE ANNANG’S WAR FILE.

Most recently, precisely on Sunday 6th April, 2014, Chief Godswill Obot Akpabio, Executive Governor of Akwa Ibom State, organized a Memorial Service in Honour of Akwa Ibom Heroes murdered during the Nigerian Civil War (1967-1970) in Ibom Hall Grounds, Uyo, for the repose of the departed souls. The idea for the Solemn Assembly was mooted at Abak Town Hall meeting where the Governor decried what some sections of the state termed ethnic cleansing.

At the Ibom Hall Grounds where the Church Service for the repose of the souls of those men took place, the governor reminded the people of how some politicians betrayed their brothers and got them killed not by accident of war but as a deliberate act of hatred. He lamented the distrust that had existed and still exists among the various ethnic groups in the state and sued for peace and unity. Many people in the state had expected that the rather belated Memorial Service would take into consideration the souls of those innocent people who were brutally murdered particularly during the 2010/2011 political campaigns and the most recent being the cruel murder of Engr. Albert Ukpanah at Abak about three week ago. Unfortunately, their names did not appear in the list thus making the whole exercise obnoxious.

AK Diasporans lament negligence by govt BY PRISCILLA CHRISTOPHER

A cross-section of Akwa Ibom indigenes now residents abroad have lamented on their exoneration from the state affairs and appealed to the state government to re-integrate them into the administration of their motherland. 
The group made this known at a round-table meeting held at Monty Suites Hotel last week. The group, comprising of friends of the Governor, critics of his administration and those undecided of what to make of the on-goings in the state, expressed disappointment at the fact that they are being exempted from contributing their quota to the development of the state. 

While introducing the diasporans, the Special Adviser to the Governor on Protocol, Barr. Itah Ekideh, informed newsmen that the Governor, Chief Godswill Akpabio, had invited them over to participate in the remembrance service held recently in honour of heroes who died during the 1967-1970 civil war, especially those of them whose relations were among the deceased; adding that their coming was also in answer to the Governor’s call for an unbiased appraisal of his administration.