Iniobong Umoren: Akpabio Speaks On ‘His Involvement In Job Seeker’s Killing’

Nigeria’s Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Godswill Akpabio and his wife, Ekaete, has threatened to drag investigative journalist, David Hundeyin, to court for linking them with the murder of Akwa Ibom job seeker, Iniobong Umoren.

CityNews Nigeria recalls that the police had arrested 20-year-old Uduak Frank Akpan for allegedly luring Umoren to his residence under the pretext of offering her a job but ended up raping, killing and burying the young graduate in a shallow grave.

Following the uproar on Twitter after Umoren’s murder, Hundeyin subsequently published a report via newswirengr titled, ‘Murder in Uyo: Who Killed Hiny Umoren?’

The journalist claimed he analyzed the telephone calls of the prime suspect in the murder case, Akpan. According to the report, Akpan called a number of people after the murder of the female undergraduate. Hundeyin alleged that one of the people the prime suspect spoke with was one Kufre Effiong, a worker in the Niger Delta Civil Service. The reporter also alleged that Effiong and Akpan “met physically at a certain 58G, Ewet Housing Estate in Uyo”.

The reporter further alleged that Akpan worked for an “illegal organ trafficking ring to feed the booming global black market organ trade”.

He later tweeted via @DavidHundeyin alleging, “It has just come to my attention that Davok Suites, the hotel at the centre of the 58 Unit G/S.9, Unit G, Ewet Housing Estate nexus involving Kufre Effiong and Frank Uduak Akpan is owned by none other than Ekaette Akpabio, wife of Godswill Akpabio.

“In other words, this place where Frank Uduak Akpan, fresh from murdering Ini Umoren came to meet Kufre Effiong, belongs to the wife of Kufre’s boss and Federal Minister of Niger Delta Affairs Godswill Akpabio. So which politician has Kufre been ‘running errands’ for?”

However, reacting in a letter served Hundeyin through their lawyer, Otobong Inyang of Star Attorneys, Akpabio, a former governor of Akwa Ibom State, and his wife stressed that the building does not belong to them, The Punch reports.

The letter was titled, ‘Publication Of False And Defamatory Statements Against His Excellency, Sen. (Dr.) Godswill Obot Akpabio And Her Excellency, Mrs Ekaete Unoma Akpabio: Demand For Immediate Retraction And An Apology’.

It partly read, “We hasten to make a point that assuming (though without conceding) that Kufre Effiong is a staff of the Ministry of Niger Delta Affairs and/or one of its contractors, Senator Akpabio does not know, has never met and has never had any contact whatsoever with him. Neither Sen Godswill Akpabio nor his wife, Mrs Ekaette Akpabio had anything whatsoever to do with the horrific death of Iniobong Umoren.

“Secondly, neither Davok Suites (which is a corpate entity) nor the land housing it belongs to Mrs Ekaete Akpabio.

“Indeed, a proper search at the Corporate Affairs Commission would have disclosed to you that Mrs Ekaete Akpabio is neither one of the Directors nor Shareholders of Davok Suites.”

The couple demanded an immediate retraction of the publication and an unreserved public apology, adding that failure to act within two weeks of receipt of the letter would attract a lawsuit.

Culled from NaijaNews.