The Resident Electoral Commissioner in Akwa Ibom State, Mr Austin Okojie, on Saturday said security operatives had arrested a former NYSC boss, Major General Edet Akpan, for alleged electoral offences, according to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN). Okojie disclosed this in Uyo while briefing newsmen on challenges experienced in the ongoing Governorship and House of Assembly elections in the state.
However, Major General Edet Akpan’s daughter, Barrister Iniobong Akpan, told City People that General Akpan was picked by SSS with the LG Chair because PDP thugs weren’t allowed to steal ballot materials in Nsit Atai. In Iniobong Akpan’s words, “My dad, Maj. Gen. E. Akpan (rtd) had gone out to vote in his polling unit, when he got back he met a mammoth crowd in his compound. The Corpers who were amongst the crowd explained to him that they had nowhere else to run to with the ballot materials and that some thugs were on a rampage hijacking ballot boxes in all the local governments and carting them away, so they needed to run away with the ones in their possession for safe keeping and that they felt my father’s compound was the safest place to bring them to till the thugs went away.
“On hearing, this my dad started making frantic efforts to reach INEC Head office in Uyo to alert them on what was happening in his village in Nsit Atai! However before contact could be established, SSS, police and the army stormed my father’s compound and demanded to have access into the property! The youths immediately wanted to launch a protest but my dad hastily halted them saying he doesn’t want further disruptions to the electoral process. He asked his soldiers who are detailed to him to open up the gate and allow them in. So SSS drove into the compound in their armoured vehicles while shooting their machine guns into the air! My father had to appeal to them to calm down. At this point the SSS officials told my dad that he has been invited to their office for questioning, my dad’s soldiers immediately intervened saying they will not allow the General to be taken anywhere and that their job is to protect him!
“An argument ensued between my dad’s soldiers and the SSS before my dad cut in and said he will graciously go with them for questioning. They told my dad it will only take a couple of hours, my dad’s soldiers insisted on going with them and they agreed for two of them to come along. After a few hours of questioning, Governor Akpabio ordered for my dad’s soldiers to be sent back to base which is the barracks! His aide too was sent away. My dad was now all alone with no communication with the outside world for hours. They kept turning my family away saying we can’t see him.
“At about 9pm the family was now given access to my dad, he was weak and shaking and could barely utter a word! He was in a very bad shape and we were scared for his health, we begged and they agreed for a medical personnel to come and see him, as suspected his blood pressure was through the roof and he had to be given medication to arrest the situation before it got worse. He was put in a dingy, dark and dirty cell room with a tattered, flimsy and disgusting mattress on the bare floor! We were there till 12midnight and all they could tell us was that Governor Akpabio insisted he’s held there indefinitely! This is day 2 and my 74-year-old pensioner father has not eaten or received proper medical attention!
“He has given his statement and is still being held without cause! The holding facility is in a deplorable condition and we are concerned that this will worsen his health! My father is innocent of what he’s being accused of. Our governor is well-known for silencing and quenching anything that comes in the way of his atrocities!They can continue with their “investigations” but Akpabio should please release my father from that dungeon! If my father dies in that cell, this particular blood will take away peace from his life till he pays for it! For his own good let him do the needful!” General Akpan is still in custody as at the time of this report and the hastag #ReleaseGeneralAkpan is being broadcast on social media, calling for his release.
No comments:
Post a Comment