Socialite Iboro Otu Alleges Attempted Kidnap, Assasination Charges Against Gov. Akpabio’s Loyalist, Ekpeyong Bassey

…petitions IG, SSS, NSA to investigate

Socialite and businessman, Iboro Otu has made charges of attempted kidnap and assassination against Mr Emanuel Ekpenyong- Bassey, of the key loyalists of Governor of Akwa Ibom state, Godswill Akpabio.

Mr Otu names himself the victim of the plot. And he has written a petition against the Governor’s aide, who is also the Personal Assistant to the Akwa Ibom State Governor on Youth Mobilisation and Akwa Ibom State.

The petition handled by Garland Chambers and under signed by Paul Omoluabi Esq has been sent to the offices of the Inspector General of Police (IGP), the Director General of the State Security Service (SSS) and the National Security Adviser (NSA).

Four other individuals are allegedly involved in the plot along with Ekpenyong – Bassey, who is also the Youth Leader of political party, PDP in the state.

Dated September Friday, 13 2013 and titled “Attempted Kidnapping, Attempted Murder and Threat to Life by the Personal Assistant to the Governor of Akwa Ibom State on Youth Mobilisation/The PDP Youth Leader, Akwa Ibom State – Emmanuel Bassey Ekpenyong and Four Others.”- the stated in parts…

‘ “We act as solicitors to Mr. Iboro Otu (herein after referred to as “our Client”) and on whose unequivocal instructions we write in the following regards. That on 3rd September, 2013, our Client was in Uyo for the burial of the father of a family friend of his (name withheld) at Ogu Itu Mbonuso, in Ini Local Government Area.
“Thereafter, our Client commenced his return to Uyo, but unknown to him, some young men had taken down his car details and had been trailing him with the criminal intention of kidnapping him so as to eventually kill him. As our client approached a turn 10 minutes away from Itak Junction in Uyo Local Government Area and bent down toward his passenger’s seat to pick up his mobile phone which had fallen from the dashboard onto the seat, an unmarked car with four men brandishing firearms, double-crossed him and commanded him to alight from the vehicle or he will be shot dead on the spot.

‘“Our Client was able to escape from the scene by screeching his car around through the bush and speeding off even at the risk of being shot at, but was chased by these assailants. Upon the pursuit, our Client drove to an Army unit at Itak Junction and immediately reported the incident and further informed the military officers that the assailants were on their way towards the Army unit. Few minutes after this report, the assailants arrived with one Mr. Emmanuel Bassey Ekpenyong better known as Iraq at the Army unit and they were apprehended immediately and unexpectedly. Our client immediately identified one of the assailants

‘ one of them identified himself as Mr. Emmanuel Bassey Ekpenyong, the Akwa Ibom State Governor’s Personal Assistant and referred to his fellow assailants as “his boys” pleading earnestly for their release – a plea the officers were said to have turned down. Mr. Ekpenyong then entreated Otu for forgiveness, stating that he (Otu) had been mistaken for somebody else while offering to pay for the repair of the damaged vehicle. At that point, Otu was said to have left the issue to be resolved at the discretion of the police.

‘We appeal to your most esteemed office to urgently deploy the resources at your disposal in investigating, ordering the arrest of all persons directly and remotely involved in the kidnap and murder attempt of our Client who is presently unsafe and worries about his security and unknown vehicles are always trailing him in and out of Uyo.’

The development which hints at setting up of a militia by the Government of Akwa Ibom State to silence opposition is currently being investigated.