There is tension in Inen community in the Oruk Anam area of Akwa Ibom State, as a young man suspected to be a member of a cult on Monday killed his neighbour.
The suspect, identified as Aniebet, accompanied by other members of his gang, dragged their victim, one Udo, from his compound and killed him after tying him to a tree.
The suspect reportedly moved to a nearby compound where he attacked the village council’s chairman, Uduak, and dispossessed him of his motorcycle before fleeing from the village.
A resident, Ntiense Noak, told our correspondent on Tuesday that the suspect accused the late Udo of using witchcraft powers to torment his (Aniebet) son, who had been bedridden for years without solutions.
He said, “The gang led by Aniebiet moved to the victim’s compound and dragged him out, tied him to a tree and beheaded him. After killing the man, he went to a nearby compound and ransacked houses, seizing their phones and robbing the village council Chairman, Uduak, of a motorcycle that he bought recently.”
Another eyewitness, Nsidibe Effiong, said the deceased, who was threatened by some youths over the suspect’s son’s sickness, had reported himself to the village council, urging community leaders to investigate him.
He said, “The elders and the youth of this village investigated the man, using traditional means and he was still being investigated before the boys killed him yesterday.
“We believe that the suspect is a member of the Iceland Confraternity, which terrorised this community last year. Now that he has escaped, we are afraid about what will happen by the end of the year.”
The state Police Public Relations Officer, Odiko Mcdon, said the Divisional Police Officer in Oruk Anam had yet to the report to the state command on the incident.
“I am not aware of such a report; but I will confirm from the DPO in Oruk Anam and get back to you,” Macdon said.
