Fear has gripped the sleepy community of Nnung Iyoho, in Afaha Offiong, headquarters of Nsit Ibom local government area of Akwa Ibom State, following the gruesome murder of two brothers, one 70 and the other 50, LEADERSHIP learnt yesterday in Uyo, the state capital.
It was gathered the assailants, stormed the family compound last Thursday at about 11:00pm, near the popular Nsit Ibom Market (Udua Nsit Ibom), dismantled the door and hacked the 70-year – old, Elder Enefiok Michael Etuk, to death, before moving to his younger brother, Ebongeti Michael Etuk’s wing of the sprawling compound, where they also killed the 50-year-old.
The late Ebongeti’s wife, a nursing mother was stabbed and the baby injured by the yet – to -be identified hoodlums armed with machetes and other offensive weapons.
Narrating the horrible experience, the eldest of the two dead brothers, Mr Ime Michael Etuk, recalled that “yesterday, I retired into my room although I was not fast asleep, my third brother Ebongeti and his wife entered their room to sleep.
My second brother equally retired to his room.
“From my room, I overheard my fourth brother, the one that was physically challenged calling for help, shouting that they were about to kill him. This was about some minutes to 11:00 pm, and the whole chaos ended at five minutes past 11:00 pm.
“His door was cut open. I heard the wife lamenting; ‘you have matched the baby.’ Ebongeti, my fourth brother, was taken out of the room, and he was killed in the backyard close to the kitchen by smashing his head. Then, my second brother was taken out of the house through the window and killed by the other wing of the kitchen.
“In the middle of that chaos and crying for help, I escaped into the bush, and I spent the night inside the bush till dawn. So, around 6: 00 am, I came out from the bush, went to my second brother’s room and called him, but he didn’t answer, as I turned to his window side I saw his wrapper by the window and as I moved further, I saw his corpse in a pool of blood.
“I went to the family head of Nung Etukakpan, and reported the incident. That is how people started coming here to witness the scene of the incident. I also complained to my enlarged family head, Obong Nnah Ikpe. On his directive, that is how my sister-in-law and I went to the Police station and made an entry. The police came to the scene and took pictures of the incident.
“My fourth brother’s wife, who is a nursing mother, was macheted on the breast, forehead, and on the hand. She is currently receiving treatment at Imaobong Medical Outreach, Mbak, while the remains have been deposited at the morgue.”
The transition chairman, Nsit Ibom Council, Deaconess Oto Aaron, expressed shock over the killings wondering what could be the motive, but urged the people to go about their normal businesses as the police would fish out the perpetrators and bring them to book.
Also, the member representing Nsit Ibom in the state Assembly, Hon. Eric Akpan, sent a delegation to visit the scene and commiserate with the family, promising “legislative action on the matter.”
The police public relations officer (PPRO), CSP Odiko MacDon, who spoke to LEADERSHIP, said the matter has been taken over by the Criminal Investigation Department (CID), assuring that “the culprits would be fished out and prosecuted, as the Commissioner of Police (CP), Waheed Ayilara has ordered discreet investigation which is currently ongoing.”
