AKHA under siege again, State government issues press release.

Earlier today, Akwa Ibom state house of Assembly was on fire as the house members and the 5 sacked lawmakers of the All Progressives Congress (APC) engaged in battle at the assembly premises.

There was serious gunfire by security men as the youths try to pursue Rt. Hon. Nse Ntuen, the factional Speaker and other four out of the chambers and assembly premises.

According to reports, Ntuen and Others had arrived the chambers early before the time for plenary with plans to impeach governor Udom Emmanuel. The governor arrived the venue with members of his cabinet and security details, about 10am which helped the youths to pursue the 5 lawmakers out of the assembly premises.

Following the attempted siege, the state government through her commissioner for information and strategy, Mr.  Charles Udo, has issued a press statement. 

Below is the full statement:

GOVERNMENT OF AKWA IBOM STATE OF NIGERIA

Press Release

Attempted Invasion of Akwa Ibom State House of Assembly by APC thugs

The Akwa Ibom State House of Assembly was invaded in the early hours of today by suspected thugs of APC dressed in military uniforms and under the protection of the police, on the orders of the Akwa Ibom State Police Commissioner. 

Normalcy was restored however by the timely visit of the Akwa Ibom State Governor, His Excellency, Mr Udom Emmanuel. The visit of Governor to the House of Assembly was clearly in line with his position as the chief security officer of the state. The Governor has a moral and constitutional responsibility to legally protect lives and properties in the state. 

It is pertinent to note prior to this, 13 APC thugs dressed in military uniforms and armed with AK47 rifles were apprehended by law abiding citizens and handed over to the police. However, it defies logic that these hoodlums were set free without due process of investigations by the Officer in Charge of Quick Response Squad in Akwa Ibom state, Superintendent Abdulkareem Suleiman. 

The driver of the vehicle that conveyed the thugs dressed in military uniforms; Innocent Edet Udoh, and the gang leader; Nsikak Monday Stephen who is also the youth leader of Nung Udoe Itak are still in custody. They have made useful confessional statements. The driver; has confirmed to law enforcement agents that they were hired by Victor Udofia, the immediate past State House of Assembly member who represented Ikono state constituency. 

Recall that two days ago, a section of the perimeter fence of the Assembly complex was pulled down in the dead of the night by people suspected to be APC thugs as a prelude to facilitating the invasion.

His Excellency, the Governor of Akwa Ibom State, Mr. Udom Emmanuel, this evening  addressed a press conference on these issues.

Akwa Ibom people are encouraged to remain calm and law abiding while necessary modalities are put in place to bring all prepetrators to book. 

Charles Udoh

Commissioner of Information and Strategy 

Akwa Ibom state

November 27, 2018