A widow, Mrs Immaculate Sampson Akpan, whose husband was brutally beheaded in the ongoing  clash between Eket and Ibeno communities in Akwa Ibom State has appealed to Nigerians and government at all levels for justice.

Our Correspondent gathered that her late husband, Sampson Akpan, was murdered at Ndito Eka Iba village for allegedly acting as an informant against Eket people who are contesting ownership of the land with their Ibeno neighbours .

It was further gathered that the victim, though from Eket, lived in the riverine area as a fisherman but was suspected to be spying for Eket people against Ibeno .

An eyewitness who pleaded anonymity said the attack on Ndito Iba Village was the fourth  in the series of attacks in which Sampson was beheaded.

“The attack on Ndito Eka Iba Village in Ibeno LGA by attackers from Eket is the fourth in the series of attacks on Ibeno LGA since the controversial attempt by the past administration  to remap Akwa Ibom State, with the case still pending in court”, the eyewitness said.

The widow, who was fighting back tears, while speaking to our reporter  in Ibeno LGA,  recalled that they have  lived peacefully  in Ndito Eka Iba Village for several years without rancour.

She explained that attack on the fishing community on Christmas Eve last year has left a huge scar on  Ndito Eka Iba Village after the invaders, suspected to have come from Eket, launched  attacks on residents destroying houses,  Churches, several boats with outboard engines, cars, motorcycles and other valuables including fishing nets.

The widow, a mother of four, narrated the sad incident that cost the life of her husband while several children were still missing in the community.

“When our neighbours from Eket LGA launched the attack on the night of December 24, 2024, we were caught unawares.

“Before the attack, the invaders had attempted to host a festival to herald the Christmas day, but instead of using the true name of the village, Ndito Eka Iba, which is Unit 6, Ward 10, a gazetted village in Ibeno LGA  used the name Okoiyak Ekid, to reflect their Eket identity, implying that Ndito Eka Iba village in Ibeno LGA, no longer belongs to Ibeno LGA, but Eket LGA.

“Because of this, the youths of Ndito Eka Iba village, approached them, and advised them against such plans to alter the original name, but they instead threatened war, which they (the Eket people) later launched late that night, forcing people to escape into the dark shrub where they spent the night before emerging in the morning to seek refuge in safer locations.

“The entire village of Ndito Eka Iba has been left in total ruins and I have relocated to my village, Odio, in Eket LGA, after my husband had been killed and his remains buried in shallow grave without his head, which was taken away by the attackers.

“I have been dislocated from where I used to eke out my living with my four children, trading in fish, crayfish and other seafoods like periwinkles, prawns and others”.

She, therefore, appealed to  authorities concerned, including Akwa Ibom State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA), the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), Churches, individuals and corporate organisations for relief materials for her and other displaced victims.

“it has become too difficult to feed and clothe my four children in a new location without job or business”, she lamented.

Akwa Ibom State Commissioner of Police (CP), Baba Azare, while responding to the incident said the suspects arrested  during the fracas were still in custody.

According to him, investigation  on the incident has been concluded as the suspects have been charged to court.

“Investigations on the case had since been concluded and the suspects charged to Court.

 “No one has any right to interfere in the matter. I take full responsibility over the case, and I have spoken with the investigative officer who told me that the matter had already been charged to Court”, the CP stated.

Christopher Tom, Uyo