Three
persons were allegedly killed in Ukanafun Local Government Area of Akwa
Ibom State on Sunday when gunmen stormed the country home of the Commissioner for Local
Government and Chieftaincy Affairs in the state, Udo Ekpenyong.
The
alleged killing is coming two days after a similar incident where armed men riding a
motorcycle shot dead a policeman and two
other persons in a filling station in the local government area.
The police
spokesperson in the state, Bala Elkana, who confirmed the
latest incident, he said that the
commissioner’s younger sister was among those killed by the gunmen.
Mr. Elkana,
a deputy superintendent of police, said the gunmen who rode on
a motorcycle shot and killed the woman inside the commissioner’s country
home at Ikot Oku Usung village.
Two more
persons were killed elsewhere in the village as the gunmen fired
indiscriminately while on their way out of the village, Mr. Elkana said.
“The
commissioner is safe,” the police spokesperson said. “I’m not sure he was in
the house when the incident happened.”
He said the
police were investigating the incident and that he couldn’t give
out more information in order not to jeopardise the
investigation.
The police
commissioner in the state, Zubairu Muazu, is said to be in Ukanafun to
assess the situation in the area.
Meanwhile,
the police have banned the use of motorcycles in Ukanafun and in the
neighbouring local government area of Etim Ekpo from 6 p.m. to 7
a.m.
The police
spokesperson in the state, Mr. Elkana, said in a statement that the ban takes effect from Sunday.
“This
measure becomes necessary to tackle the rising tide of violent crimes,
especially murder and kidnapping in the affected Local
Government Areas mainly perpetrated with motorcycles,” Mr. Elkana said,
warning that anyone who violates the ban would be dealt
with in accordance with the law.
Both
Ukanafun and Etim Ekpo have become notorious in the state of late for
cult-related violence and killings. (Premium Times)
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