By Ayo Kehinde
Devid Hundeyin an independent investigative journalist has vowed to continue working on the story involving the death of job seek, Miss Inuibong Umoren despite threats by the Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Senator Godswill Akpabio, to sue him for defamation.
Hundeyin had made a series of tweets alleging that Akpabo and his wife played a part in the rape and eventual death of the 26-year- old Inuibong.
According to him, Davok hotel located at 58, G Unit also recognised as plot S9,Unit G, Ewet Housing, Estate, Uyo which was used by the suspect(s) for their nefarious activities is owned by Akpabio’s wife.
Miffed by the allegation, Akpabio asked his lawyer, Otobong Inyang Esq, to write Hundeyin and demand a retraction of a story and an apology within 14- days, failing which he would take legal action.
Refusing to bend, Hundeyin instead asked that Airtel and MTN be authourised to release the voice note of the conversation between the alleged suspects to help in unravelling the truth of the case.
In his Tweeter handle: @DavidHundeyin, he tweeted: “Instead of sending old policemen to fight with me on TV or threatening me with lawsuits, just authorise Airtel and MTN to release the voice note of the conversation between Frank Akpan and Kufre Effiong. Very simple and will end this controversy. No need for plenty talk.”
The Minister’s lawyer, Otobong Inyang Esq, in a statement dated Wednesday 12 May, 2021, claimed the author had made statements suggesting the hotel located at 58, G Unit, Ewet Housing Estate, is also recognised as plot S9, Unit G, Ewet Housing Estate, Uyo, which the suspect(s) used for their activities, is owned by his wife, which was not true.
According to Akpabio, the author’s publications give the impression that he and his wife were not only complicit in the death of Umoren but were also members of a syndicate specialising in the procurement, sale and/or use of human body parts for ritual among others.
The Minister demanded the retractions and public apology be published in NewswireNGR, the author’s Twitter Handle, Facebook Page/Timeline and all other online news/media platforms and channels he used to publish the publications within 14 days, failure of which he would face his lawyer in court.
Meanwhile, the Akwa Ibom Command of the Nigeria Police Force on Friday paraded the suspected killer of the 26-years old Iniuobong Umoren Uduak Akpan.
Iniuobong Umoren Uduak Akpan and his father, Francis, left.
The suspect who was paraded alongside his father, Mr. Francis Akpan at the Command Headquarters, Ikot Akpan Abia confessed to the crime, stating that he lured and raped six girls in the pretext of offering them employment, while answering questions from journalists.
Mr. Akpan who confessed that he tricked the deceased to his village in Nnung Ikono Ufio, Uruan LGA, under the pretext of offering them employment but denied killing any other victim apart from the Iniuobong.
Akpan, a 200 level student of Public Administration, Obong University, a private institution in Akwa Ibom state, said he had to use stabilizer on her in self defense, adding that he wouldn’t mind if justice takes it full course on him
