Assassination allegation: Police beef up security around royal fathers in Akwa Ibom  opposed to Akpabio 

Akwa Ibom State Police Command has beefed up security around traditional rulers following allegation of plots to assassinate royal fathers assumed not favourably disposed to electioneering processes towards 2015. This is according to sunnewsonline.com

Said to be particularly protected against any harm and danger is the paramount ruler of Ibiono Ibom Local Government Area, Edidem Ime Udousoro Inyang, who, a plot to assassinate alongside his colleague in Etinan Local Government Area, Edidem Ime Dickson Umoette, was said to have been perfected recently by an influential politician in the state in a clandestine meeting in Ikot Ekpene.

The state Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Mr. Etim Dickson (DSP) told Daily Sun yesterday that a report on the alleged assassination plot had been lodged with the police by the Ibiono Ibom traditional rulers council warranting the police to increase security personnel around the royal fathers.

Dickson said the police had also asked the royal fathers to provide them with names of those fingered in the plot so that they could be arrested; even though he said there was no report from the paramount ruler of Etinan about the alleged plot against his life.

Youths and elders of Ibiono Ibom local government operating on the platform of Ibiono Ibom Welfare and Development Union (IWADU) and Ibiono Ibom Clan Council had last week raised the alarm over the alleged assassination plot against Edidem Inyang and Edidem Umoette.

They said in their communiqué that the participants at the meeting where the assassination was plotted were understood to have accused the two royal fathers of being stumbling blocks in the realisation of the political ambitions of some persons in 2015, and reportedly reached the conclusion that the only solution was the assassination of the two paramount rulers.

Bearing in mind that the paramount ruler of Nsit Ubium Local Government Area, Edidem Robert Obot, was murdered in his palace during the build-up to 2011 general elections, the group described the planned murder of the two Ibibio royal fathers as evil and callous.

“The two paramount rulers are not politicians and are not involved in politics. Any effort to link them to politics is a figment of imagination and exists only in the minds of the mischief makers. It is a malicious and hypocritical attempt to create a linkage  where none exists,” the group said.

The Ibiono Ibom people urged the inspector general of police to intervene in the issue with a view to punishing the culprits, stressing that the plan to assassinate the foremost Ibibio traditional rulers was condemnable. They urged Ibibio to fight against and defend their heritage from being further trampled upon.

They said the Ibiono Ibom would hold responsible participants at the meeting, whose names they had, for any evil that might befall their paramount ruler or any Ibiono Ibom son or daughter seeking elective position in the state.

Uyio Ikpaisong Ibibio, the supreme council of Ibibio Nation had earlier reacted to the speculation and said it was unthinkable that anybody would want to shed more blood after the 2011 experience that led to the assassination of Edidem Robert Obot.