Senator JJ Akpan Udoedehe ACN gubernatorial candidate in Akwa Ibom state has been arrested over his role in the mayhem that occurred in the state early in the week. Police sources told huhuonline.com that his arrest was in connection to a text message
allegedly sent from his mobile phone, calling for a reprisal attack.
The text message obtained exclusively by huhuonline.com reads:
“IBIBIO supporters of Sen. Udoedehe were SLAUGHTERED in IKOT EKPENE, while Godswill Akpabio & Annangs still move freely in IBIBIO LAND! WE MUST REVENGE speedily”.
Udohehe arrest was confirmed by his lawyer, Barrister Andem E. Ndem, who issued a statement, chronicling Mr.Udohehe ordeal. Hear him:
"On Wednesday, 23rd March 2011,the Inspector-General of Police put a call through to Senator Akpan Udodehe inviting him for a chat in respect of the mayhem that occurred in Akwa Ibom State the previous day".
"As an innocent law abiding citizen, he suspended his campaign and proceeded to Abuja on Thursday the 24th to keep a date with the IGP. He went to see the IGP in company of his Personal Attorney, Barrister Andem E. Ndem. This meeting turned out to be very revealing and threw-up the following facts, namely";
IN UYO
"The IGP admitted that he has not received any formal briefing from Akwa Ibom State Command of the Police Force regarding what happened. He admitted further that for now, all he knows were derived from newspaper reports read by Nigerians". "He expressed shock at the explanation of the Senator that what actually happened was that he was ambushed in Ikot Ekpene by agents of Governor Akpabio who had earlier warned that he should not come there on campaign and the military-style ambush was so vicious that he survived by sheer grace of God. His bomb-proof campaign vehicle and the assistance of the Police Area Commander who escorted him was under shelling to the borrder between Ikot Ekpene and Uyo before departing".
"Barrister Ndem utilised that opportunity to effect personal service on the IGP of the court order of further injunction and mandatory provision of armed police security for the Senator. His office duly acknowledged receipt of this Court Order".
"The IGP also admitted that Governor Akpabio recently came to him to complain that the last Commissioner of Police. Mr Sani Magaji, was not "'PERFORMING"' and he should be changed. Consequently, he, the IGP, obliged him this request without deference to his performance evaluation report which actually revealed that the Police Commissioner was a strong-willed and principled officer who refused to compromise with Gov. Akpabio on the security situation in the State".
"Barrister Ndem informed the IGP that his decision to change the Police Commissioner was wrong as same is unsupportable by the facts on ground because the crime rate in the State has actually reduced under his leadership. He procceeded to inform him that the real reason why Gov. Akpabio was not comfortable with the CP was
due to his principled and uncompromising stance on issues of Insecurity and corruption.Barrister Ndem went on to inform the IGP that the immediate cause of Gov. Akpabio''s discomfort was the arrest of two members of PEACE HOUSE namely BASKET and Ken Etim with AK47 AND THE REFUSAL BY THE CP TO RELEASE THEM BASED ON THE ORDERS OF GOV AKPABIO. The IGP had no explanation for this. Consequently, Barrister Ndem demanded that the IGP should reverse himself and return our CP failing which we shall take up the matter with Police Service Commission which oversees issues of this nature".
"Thereafter, the IGP handed us over to his Commissioner in charge of Administration, CP Jonathan Johnson to obtain Senator’s statement. We obliged. Thereafter, the waiting game started until the IGP and other senior officers started leaving their offices cryptically.At about 11pm, a phone call came that Senator should be detained overnight as they intend to charge
him to court this morning".
"It is not clear at this time what they want to charge him for but it is reasonably suspected that they may seek a remand order from court to keep Senator beyond the mandatory 48 hours because they intend to keep him out of circulation for the purpose of the election as there is no shred of evidence linking senator to violence of any kind anywhere. Whatever they come up
with, we shall respond appropriately". Bar. Ndem affirmed
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