KIDNAPPING FEARS GRIP AKWA IBOM AS ISAAC ACHONG RETURNS AS POLICE COMMISSIONER
Akwa Ibom State as radio and
television announced the return of
Mr. Isaac Gabriel Achong as the
Police Commissioner of the State. Mr.
Ochong who left state in 2010 as the
Deputy Commissioner of Police under
a controversial circumstance linking
him to state sponsored kidnapping
and assassination arrived the state
capital, Uyo yesterday amid
celebration by members of Akpabio's
government.
Reacting to news, an Uyo based human
right activist, Mr. Bassey Edem said the
return of Mr. Achong to Akwa Ibom State
as the Commissioner of police was the
handiwork of Governor Godswill Akpabio
to prepare ground ahead of the 2015
election in his favor. Mr. Edem noted that
Mr. Achong's name was not included in
the names of those recently published as
newly appointed commissioners of police
apparently to prevent furor that might
greet his appointment.
"Let me tell you. It is Akpabio that
lobbied for the man to come to Akwa
Ibom State in order to perpetuate terror
during the election and scare his
opponents into submission. In 2010 were
politically motivated kidnapping and
assassination were the order of the day,
didn't the people of the state cry foul and
asked the Mr. Achong to be transferred
out of the state? Why is he suddenly
backed again during the same period?"
Edem asked.
He recalled that ahead of the 2011
general election which ushered in Mr.
Akpabio into the government house for
the second term, hundreds of people
were abducted for ransom and some
murdered in broad daylight. And Mr.
Achong was said to be in charge of
negotiation for payment of ransom which
he smiled to the bank with millions of
Naira.
"There were so many victims; you can
check in the internet you will see. Some
of the victims of kidnapping included
retired General Edet Akpan kidnapped
during a church session in his home town,
Mrs. Sam Enwang at school near Ekom
Iman, the Principal of Mobil Pegasus
Primary/Nursery School in Eket, Mrs.
Lakshmi Tom-Bush Itauma, a native of
India, Sen. Aloysius Etuk's wife, Mr.
Michael Bush's wife, Dr. Uwah, Mrs. Mfon
Uko, Mrs. Philomena Udonwa who was
also killed, to name a few. "Mr. Edem
recalled.
He further stated however that until, Mr.
Achong was sent packing, the citizens of
the state knew no peace. And that in
2010, as result of his complicity to
kidnapping for ransom, the state House
of Assembly voted unanimously ordering
him to vacate his position and leave the
state after 15 years. It was only then that
peace began to return to the state.
"Since Achong's departure, kidnapping is
seen as a thing of the past but now the
citizens are worried that they will have to
relive it all over again as Achong returns
to perpetuate his unfinished business of
kidnapping he championed. You can see
that upon moving to Abuja in the capacity
of Deputy Commissioner, he worked his
way up to be promoted recently among
other 20 Commissioners by the Acting IG
of Police, Suleiman Abba. This evening,
the state radio station in Uyo announced
and celebrated his return but the people
of Akwa Ibom are not celebrating Mr.
Achong, let alone being happy… "The
activist cried out
He called on Acting Inspector General of
Police, Mr. Suleiman Abba to transfer Mr.
Achong out of Akwa Ibom state to avoid
bloodshed and kidnapping that
occasioned during his stay in Akwa Ibom
State as the deputy commissioner of
police.
.
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