Policeman dies as bandits raid Akwa Ibom bank

By Etim Ekpimah

Bandits on Wednesday attacked a branch of a first generation bank Ibekwe Road, Ikot Abasi Urban, Ikot Abasi Local Government Area of Akwa Ibom State.

It was learnt that a police van that responded to a distress call from the bank, somersaulted on its way to the scene of the incident, killing a police sergeant while other policemen sustained serious injuries.
The bandits said to be about 18, stormed the bank around 11.45am and carted away an undisclosed sum of money.
Eyewitnesses told our correspondent that the hoodlums, who were said to have shot indiscriminately on arrival at the bank, wore military camouflage.
According to the eyewitnesses, the robbers had a field day during the operation that lasted for more than an hour.
An indigene of the area, who was at the bank (name withheld), told our correspondent that the robbers were seen loading huge sums of money into a waiting vehicle parked outside the bank’s premises.
“I thank God to be alive. I was in the bank before the armed robbers arrived. They began to shoot sporadically into the air. I was lucky a bullet went right through my side and hit the wall,” he said.
It was gathered that during the operation, the robbers kidnapped an Indian expatriate working with the National Integrated Power Project, Mr. Zubayer, and two other members of staff of the bank.
Some operatives of the Nigerian Navy Ship, NNS Jubilee in Ikot Abasi, were said to have engaged the bandits in a gun battle.
The robbers were said to have escaped through the Okopedi waterways.
The state Police Public Relations Officer, Cordelia Nwawe, confirmed the incident.
According to her, no arrest has been made but police operatives had been deployed in Ikot Abasi in order to find the robbers.
Mwawe added, “No arrest has been made. We lost a sergeant; he wasn’t shot. There was an accident with our police vehicle on the way to do the rescue operation.
“Three persons, who were kidnapped by the robbers, have been rescued by the police. One whiteman and two employees of the bank have been rescued by the police.
“We lost a police sergeant because our vehicle somersaulted.”
Culled from Punch newspaper

Ex-senator slaps newspaper vendor inside Government House – PREMIUM TIMES

By Cletus Ukpong

A newspaper vendor in Uyo, the Akwa Ibom State capital, has alleged that a former senator from Akwa Ibom State, Anietie Okon, publicly assaulted him, slapping him multiple times.

The incident allegedly took place on Wednesday around the banquet hall of the Akwa Ibom Government House, Uyo, d swearing-in ceremony of the Paramount Ruler of Ibeno Local Government Area, Awong Effiong Achianga as Chairman, Akwa Ibom State Council of Traditional Rulers.
The event attracted a few newspaper vendors who thought they could make quick sales at the venue.
The victim, Ndifreke Etim, claimed he was standing by, hawking newspapers near the entrance door of the banquet hall when Mr. Anietie Okon came out from the hall and walked past him towards his car, and then suddenly stopped midway to beckon on him.
“I ran towards him. I thought he wanted to buy newspapers,” Mr. Etim told PREMIUM TIMES.
When he got to where Mr. Okon was standing, the vendor said what he got instead was a ‘hot slap’ from the former senator. 
He said he was slapped multiple times by Mr. Okon, while three able-bodied young men who were with the former senator stood by to watch.
He said two other vendors who witnessed the incident were begging the former senator to stop molesting him.
“When he finished slapping me, he accused me of stealing his wallet. But God knows I am not a thief, I sell newspapers to take care of myself and my family,” Mr. Etim said, his voice shaking. “He didn’t even search me to see if I had his wallet on me or not.”
The vendor, who said he spent N4,000 to treat himself of bruises sustained from the incident, said he could not figure out why the former senator picked on him.
The Newspaper Distributors Association of Nigeria, Akwa Ibom State chapter, has threatened to sue Mr. Okon if he does not tender public apology to Mr. Etim.
When PREMIUM TIMES contacted Mr. Okon, he refused to comment on the issue, saying “I don’t want to respond to such an issue.”
Culled from PREMIUM TIMES

Akwa Ibom gov’s driver in police impersonation scandal – Punch newspaper

By Etim Ekpimah and Olaleye Aluko

The driver to Governor Emmanuel Udom of Akwa Ibom State Mr. Edet Bassey, has been accused of impersonating a policeman while discharging his duties.

According to an online news medium, SaharaReporters, sources close to the governor, who confirmed the impersonation, said Bassey had been wearing the police uniform for some time unchecked.
Bassey, who hails from Cross River State, was said to have started working with the governor since he (Udom) was a senior management official of the Zenith Bank Plc.
It was learnt that Bassey and others had gone with the governor after he (Udom) left the bank for a political appointment.
The source, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said Bassey, whose name was on the civilian drivers’ list in the government house, allegedly promoted himself to the rank of a sergeant.
He said, “We have been wondering why someone, who is not a policeman should be dressing as one simply because he drives the governor. However, no one has been able to raise an eyebrow on the issue for fear of being victimised by the governor. The driver started by using the rank of a corporal, but later promoted himself to a sergeant.
“On some days, he will put on the Mopol camouflage with the blue beret which is only meant for officers in the Special Protection Unit, a squad that protects some top government personalities. He has been doing this despite the fact that his name is on the civilian drivers’ list in the Government House. But because he is the governor’s favourite, nobody dares to question him.”
The state Commissioner for Information and Communication, Mr. Aniekan Umanah, said the governor was entitled to a police driver, and he had one. Umanah, however, refused to disclose if Bassey, was a policeman or not.
“The Office of the Governor is a very responsible office. It works within approved entitlement,” he added.
The state Police Public Relations Officer, ASP Nwawe Cordelia, said the command had no knowledge of the information. She declined further comment.
She said, “The Nigeria Police, Akwa Ibom State Police Command, has no such person spoken about in the report. We cannot comment on what is not known to us. We do not have such information.”
The Force Public Relations Officer, acting ACP Olabisi Kolawole, said she would get back to our correspondent on the matter. She, however, had yet to get back as of press time.
She said, “Let me get across to the state Commissioner of Police, and I will call you back.”
Culled from Punch newspaper