Otu Inyang, a chieftain of the All Progressives Congress in Akwa Ibom State, was assassinated by gunmen suspected of being hired assassins.
According to Punch, Inyang, a native of Ikot Udoma Village in the state’s Eket Local Government Area, was shot and killed while returning home with his wife after attending a crossover service at the community’s Qua Iboe Church.
When he was quite close to his home, the late politician was ambushed by his killers, who fired six shots into his head.
Other attendees leaving after the ceremony did not assume the sounds they heard were gunshots since there were various other sounds including knockout crackers thrown by exuberant adolescents to usher in the new year, according to a source.
Dr Samuel Udonsek, President of Ekid Peoples Union and previous governorship candidate on the platform of the now-defunct All Nigeria Peoples Party, confirmed the occurrence and hailed the dead as a prominent politician and community leader.
“I received this news with great discomfort and sadness. I must say that this model of conflict resolution is uncommon in Ekid land. I knew Elder Otu Inyang very well, back in our days in ANPP 2000 – 2003 when he helped us build a formidable opposition party.
“Late Prof Etuk Nssien Etuk, of blessed memory, regarded him rightly then as a formidable pillar of his strong and resilient political empire and structure,” he stated.
The Spokesperson of the state Police Command, Odiko Macdon, who confirmed the incident, said the Commissioner of Police, Andrew Amiengheme, had ordered a Deputy Commissioner of Police in the state to conduct a discreet investigation into the incident and to ensure that the culprits were brought to book.
“The command has received such report and it is unfortunate. The CP has ordered the Deputy Commissioner of Police in the command to conduct a discreet investigation into the incident and ensure that the culprits are brought to book. So, we are on top of the situation and I want to assure you that the culprits will not escape,” he said.
