The police in Akwa Ibom State yesterday confirmed four persons were killed in the political crisis that engulfed the state on Tuesday, with 127 Peugeot 307 saloon cars and 157 KEKE NAPEP tricycles belonging to the Akwa Ibom State Government, parked at the Idongesit Nkanga secretariat, either burnt or damaged. A total of 51 suspects have also been arrested in connection with the mayhem during which 20 other different brands of vehicles belonging to well-meaning Nigerians were burnt. The presidential campaign office of Goodluck/Sambo along Abak road was also torched.
Newly posted police commissioner Felix Osita Uyanna told reporters at the State police headquarters in Ikot Akpan Abia near Uyo, the state capital, that investigations into the “heinous crime” were ongoing, adding that the “modus operandi of the suspects and the nature of the targets suggest a deliberate pattern in the execution”.
Uyanna, who said he assumed office barely two hours before the crisis erupted, added that he was greeted with an unprecedented carnage, wanton destruction of lives and property by disgruntled political elements and their thugs.
He said the suspects used prohibited and dangerous weapons including improvised explosive devices (IEDs) and destroyed everything in sight, especially property belonging to government.
According to the police boss, 12 vehicles were burnt at the Fortune High School while various office equipment including computers, generators and water treatment plant were vandalized.
Meanwhile, security operatives in Akwa Ibom State have been given a shoot-on-sight order following the violence which recently erupted in Uyo, the state capital, and resulted in the loss of lives and property.
There was a clash between supporters of the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) and their Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) counterparts on Tuesday, which brought activities in the oil-rich state to a standstill.
In a related development, the Federal Government yesterday reviewed the increasing political violence across the country and vowed to deal ruthlessly with any individual or political group that perpetrates any act of violence before and during the April general elections.
The warning is coming on the heels of escalating political killings, violence and intimidation of political opponents in some parts of the country.
Consequently, the president has called on all security agencies to step up the effort to contain the violence across the country ahead of the elections.
Briefing State House correspondents after the weekly Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting presided over by President Goodluck Jonathan at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, Humphrey Abba, minister of police affairs, said unlike in the past, the current administration is prepared to apply the laid-down laws on anyone caught fomenting trouble during the election period.
Abba said: “The message is simple. We expect the political parties to play by the rules. We want to use this opportunity to say to our brothers and sisters that they should not allow themselves to be used to perpetuate violence.”
While addressing reporters in Uyo, Governor Godswill Akpabio said the presidency had also directed that measures be taken to bring the situation under control.
“I have spoken with the president and together we have given security agencies an order to shoot on sight anybody caught disturbing residents anywhere in the state,” Akpabio said.
Describing the attack on innocent people as criminal, Akpabio said four men had their genitals cut off during the attack, adding that they were receiving treatment at the University Teaching Hospital, Uyo.
Pledging that the perpetrators would be brought to book, he said it was an organised attack on the people of the state to cause a state of insecurity for the purpose of inducing a state of emergency.
It was learnt that the trouble started when the gubernatorial candidate of the ACN, John James Udoedehe, was allegedly prevented from holding his electioneering campaign in Ikot Ekpene local government area by supporters of a rival political party who were said to have blocked the highway leading to the venue of the rally.
Eyewitnesses said when the ACN supporters insisted on proceeding to the venue, they were allegedly attacked with all forms of missiles.
