USUMUTONG RAISES ALARM OVER POSSIBLE ATTACK, ACCUSES THE POLICE OF COMPILICITY

The people of Usumutong have raised an alarm over a possible attack on them by the people of Ediba, both communities in Abi Local Government Areas of Cross River State.

According to the people, two of their sons; Victor Ndaeyo Bassey of the Cross River State Water Board and George Inyang Bassey, a student of the University of Calabar are currently in the police net “over trumped up allegations of a murder case”, accusing the police of complicity with the Ediba to exterminate Usumutong people.

According to Asodo Osim Francis Enyieko, who identified himself as community leader, “our people and Ediba have been having issues over land and we have made several reports to the police. “But on the 8^th of February, 2015, Rev. Monday Oguni Agbor and Ani Ibor Ngwele, reverend an usher of the Assemblies of God Church were allegedly murdered at Faratong Junction in Ediba.

 Enyieko raised this alarm Wednesday in Calabar during a press conference which he said is “to save the people of Usumutong from a possible annihilation by our Ediba neighbours”.

In their presentation, the people of Usumutong said the alleged crime took place at Faratong Junction at Ediba and expressed surprise why the police should leave the area of crime to go to Usumutong and arrest their children.

Enyieko who was in company of Barrister Egere Osim and other people from the community said the MTN Tracking device handed over to the police has not been made public and expressed surprise why the haste from the police in picking up their children who were both in Calabar on the day the crime was allegedly committed.

Barrister Osim alleged that on Wednesday, the police in Calabar paraded the accused before the state chief security adviser and other prominent sons and daughters of Ediba threatening the accused to accept under duress that they committed the murder.

The people called on the Cross River State Police Commissioner to release their sons whom they say “are arrested illegally”.

In an interview with the State Police Public Relations Officer, Hogan Bassey, the MTN Tracking devise which shows the last discussions between the slain pastor, his usher and others, appears to implicate the two who are currently in the police net.

Hogan Bassey said even if a person was in Lagos and the MTN tracking device shows a link with you, the person would be picked by the police stating that investigations are still going on.

Similarly in a telephone interview with our Correspondent, Chief Rekpene Bassey, the Cross River State Chief Security Adviser denied that the accused were ever paraded before him as alleged by the people.

It would be recalled that on the 8^th of February this year, a Reverend Pastor, Monday Ogani Agbor and Ani Ibor Ngwale an usher both of Assemblies of God Church on their way to Usumutong to preach were allegedly walleyed at Faratong Junction at Ediba and murdered.

The issue has continued to generate tension between the people of Usumutong and Ediba causing the people of Usumutong to raise alarm for intervention from the state government.