Council Chairman and Activists Dispute Police Claims Regarding Village Head's Arrest

Conflicting narratives have emerged regarding the arrest of a village head in Akwa Ibom, as the council chairman and various rights groups assert that the leader had reported the discovery of a rifle prior to his apprehension by the police.

The police in Akwa Ibom had announced the detention of Edet Okon, the village head of Asiak Obufa in Mbo Local Government Area, on March 25, claiming he was found in illegal possession of an AK-47 rifle. Timfon John, the police spokesperson for the state, indicated that the arrest stemmed from a tip-off, implying that the village was unlawfully armed.

According to the police, the purpose of the arrest was to investigate the origin of the weapon and to identify any accomplices. However, two prominent human rights organizations, the Akwa Ibom Human Rights Community and the COMPPART Foundation, challenged this account. They reported that local youths had discovered the firearm and handed it over to the village head, who then alerted local authorities to retrieve it.

In a joint statement from the coalition, signed by representatives Clifford Thomas and Saviour Akpan, it was revealed that the rifle was discovered on March 15, following an operation where security forces repelled suspected pirate activities in the region. They stressed that the village head had escalated the issue through the appropriate channels, including both the local government chairman and an aide to the governor concerned with marine security, and was awaiting the official collection of the weapon at the time of his arrest.

“It would have been unreasonable for him to transport the weapon himself. He relied on lawful authorities to retrieve it,” the organizations stated. They characterized the police's action as hasty, suggesting it could create an impression of wrongdoing.

Sunday Etim, the Chairman of Mbo Local Government Council, corroborated the village head’s account, asserting that he had facilitated the logistics for the retrieval of the rifle. He recounted that upon receiving a call from the village head, he promptly alerted the police and mobilized resources needed for the operation.

Etim also revealed that the initial attempt to retrieve the firearm was delayed after the police requested additional logistical support, including fuel and marine escorts. He emphasized that there were further efforts to involve the Nigerian Navy, although communications with the village head proved challenging during that period.

On March 24, Etim received information from the Divisional Police Officer (DPO) that they intended to retrieve the weapon. He explained that when he attempted to contact the village head again, his calls did not connect, which was when the DPO informed him of Okon’s arrest.

Etim expressed his surprise, questioning the rationale behind the arrest without prior communication. The DPO indicated that the suspect was detained to assist in locating the weapon yet would be released afterward.

Concerns over how this situation was publicly presented were also voiced by the council chairman. He revealed there was a potential protest planned by the community's youth in response to the arrest, which he managed to quell pending the investigation's results, clarifying he had never authorized the village head's arrest.

Despite the allegations surrounding the arrest, police have not yet provided clarity on the discrepancies regarding the timeline of events leading to the village head's detention.

In a request for further information, PREMIUM TIMES inquired about the police's awareness of the rifle being reported prior to the arrest, as well as about the safeguards to ensure due process in such instances. In response, the police spokesperson simply reiterated that the rifle was recovered from the village head and that investigations are ongoing to clarify the circumstances of its possession.