From Yakubu Busari, Jos
Late Augustine Ekanem
Chairman of Ibiono-Ibom Local Government in Akwa Ibom, state, Mr Edem Ita, has condemned the alleged murder of a journalist, Mr. Augustine Ekanem, in December 2021 and called for full investigation to unravel the cause of his death
Reports indicate that the famous broadcast journalist was trailed to a petrol station in the local government area after he purportedly broadcast an invitation, calling on sons and daughters of Ibiono-Ibom local government area of Akwa Ibom state to come out and celebrate the creation of the council area last December, which it was gathered, did not go down well with a section of the people.
The entertainment journalists was said to have taken the event’s announcement to the state owned broadcast station, AKBC. After the first and second stanza of that invitation was aired, the subsequent announcements were thrown out because it did not follow due process, according to sources.
However, the timing of the occasion which also coincided with the harvest festival of a socio-cultural group of the local government, was said to be inimical to the unity of the area as these events cannot hold on the same day.
Speaking with correspondents, the Chairman of the local government, Mr. Edem Ita, said it was worrisome that murder of this magnitude would be concealed to give a semblance of robbery.
He said he had spoken with the police in the area, who were also worried about the incident. Still, he fears that the perpetrators of this heinous act may escape justice if the investigation is not discreetly handled.
“Since the creation of the local government by the military regime of Ibrahim Babangida, the people in the area are divided on either the citing of the headquarters of the local government or are outrightly opposed to its creation.
“The state and local government might not be in agreement, and with what has just happened, we need to know why an innocent life has to be cut short and at this material time.
” I can tell you politics is responsible for this, and I call on the people to bury the hatchet as we await an honest investigation and perpetrators brought to book, “he said.
Efforts to reach the state police failed, but a police insider who pleaded for anonymity; confided that the police was aware of the report, but details are sketchy, and gave assurances that the command in the state would get to the roots of the matter.
