By Tony Ita Etim – Uyo
The Akwa Ibom State Police Command has debunked allegation that its men from Eket Division killed four youths from Okon Eket in Eket Local Government Area of the state on Christmas day.
Spokeman for the command and a Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP), Mr. Etim Dickson, stated this in a telephone interview with Daily Independent.
According to Dickson, “December 25 annually is celebrated as Okon Day and the community applied to the Eket Divisional Police for permit and protection and they were granted.
“But the festival turned violent when masquarades from no where emerged and blocked major roads in the city and attacked holiday makers who thronged the city as well as Fulani herdsmen.”
Dickson disclosed that before the police can bring the restive youths to order two of them were killed and the family of the slain youths joined the rage and they rampage escalated.
The police spokesman appealed to residents of Akwa Ibom State to go about their normal business without fear as the police and other security agencies are on alert.
He warned masquerades to operate within the limit of the law and reiterated that the ban on fire works is still in force.
A source from Eket told our correspondent that the Okon youths are notorious for violent acts and behaviour during the yearly celebration of Okon day.
The source alleged that at least, four persons were killed when matchetes wielding youths attacked the policemen that went to quell the uprising.
According to the youth leader, the Okon youths also attacked some Hausa Fulani herdsmen around the community who had no business with their festival or communal crisis.
But a source from Okon insisted the Police killed four persons during the Okon day festival and from the community dumped two corpses in front of the police station along Eket Oron road.
The source continued: two other persons shots by the police were rushed to an undisclosed hospital but died along the way.
As at Thursday, December 26, peace has returned to the oil city as police and other security agencies, mobilised from Uyo, the state capital, are patrolling the city while indigenes of Okon have fled their community for fear of arrest by the police.
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