The Akwa Ibom State Police Command has debunked the news that gunmen made an attempt to invade the country home of Senator Godswill Akpabio.
The position of the police was contained in a statement by the spokesman of the Akwa Ibom State Police Command, DSP Odiko MacDon.
In the statement, DSP MacDon said it was only a case of fleeing armed robbers who were shooting sporadically that was reported as gunmen attempting to invade the Akpabio’s country home in Ikot Ntuen, Ukana in Essien Udim Local Government Area of Akwa Ibom State.
According to the police, on August 21, 2018 at about 7:20pm, six armed men on three motorcycles went to Gulf Safrin filling station located at Ikot Ntuen in Ukana, not far away from Akpabio’s residence, under the pretence of buying fuel.
MacDon said shortly after, however, they displayed their true criminal intent by dispossessing some customers and fuel attendants of their valuables and cash, shooting sporadically into the air.
MacDon said they took to flight, shooting into the air as they escaped, adding: “Coincidentally, the Senator was having a meeting at his residence about the same time, hence, the gun shots were wrongly presumed by some persons to have been directed at the house of the Senator.
“The Force would like to state categorically, that there was no attack on the person or residence of Senator GodswillAkpabio, (CON) and no one was hurt in the neighbourhood. It was purely an armed robbery incident which was aborted by the timely intervention of the police.”
MacDon said the Commissioner, Akwa Ibom State Police Command, Adeyemi Ogunjemilusi, has been in touch with Akpabio, “who unreservedly expressed satisfaction at the way the situation was handled by the police. Meanwhile, security has been beefed around the Senator’s residence and environs while efforts are ongoing to bring the perpetrators to justice.
“The Commissioner wishes to call on the general public to disregard the false information in circulation in social media and support her efforts to apprehend the fleeing felons. The Command assures the good people of AkwaI bom State of her commitment to the protection of their lives and property and should go about their lawful businesses.”
The Eagle Online
