Dr Ekpo Under Attack

Unknown persons numbering over twelve have been parading the vicinity of the palace of Dr. Ime Ekpo, the village head of Utu Edem Using in Ikot Ekpene local government area of Akwa Ibom State, at odd hours, since last week but the village leadership of the place downplayed the figure to six maintaining, however, that their chief was under siege.
The men in their late twenties and mid-thirties, whose motives were unclear as at Thursday morning, were first sighted Wednesday night, in separate congregations around the palace, at about 10.30pm, interacting with the community people. Their identity could not be easily established as each of them used face mask presenting themselves as health workers and covid-19 compliant.
One of the community vigilante members who spoke to journalists Wednesday evening on condition of anonymity said when they first saw them around their chief's premises, the impression they gave the community was as if they were community health workers, but quickly discountenanced the assumption based on the fact that it would be unimaginable for health workers to work late night, and without notice to the village leadership.
Last week, two men were reportedly spotted in the chief's palace disguising as visitors to His Highness, but suddenly disappeared throwing the palace guards who were keenly evaluating their movement from a security range, into confusion as they disappeared into thin air.
It could be recalled that last month, the village head had received no fewer than 10 strange phone calls, almost on daily basis, strange transactions in his bank account and a couple of text messages from unknown sources, a situation he dismissed as normal communication and bank's customer service error, respectively. But the recent siege around his palace by suspicious faces has left him in a sea of troubled waters.
So far, three theories have emerged to unravel the atypical development premising a possible hired assassination project by those who may have fallen out with His Highness on a number of trivial issues, and have been plotting to implicate and ridicule him in order to run down his royal integrity.
Last year, there was a case of murder in Utu Edem Usung in Ikot Ekpene involving one Mr. George who was alleged to have connived with some unknown persons to kill his younger brother, Elijah, in his apartment in their family house. The incident, which attracted wide condemnation from the entire community, seemed to have enjoyed adequaute protection from some prominent politicians loyal to Governor Udom Gabriel Emmanuel's administration, and who were from Ikot Ekpene. They quickly aided the release of George, the prime suspect, from the police custody and sponsored him to petition His Highness, Dr. Ime S. Ekpo, to the police authority alleging that the latter was threatening him and vowed to deal with him, by all means. Since George regained freedom, from detention on the capital offence, aided by his godfathers, he brags in the village that one day, blood will flow in the village.
The second theory borders on the journey to the clanheadship of Otoro-Ubo, which has suffered some 'bureaucratic' delay after Dr. Ekpo had won the election to the throne, very convincingly, some years ago. Some powerful hands in government loyal to Dr. Ekpo's oppositions to the royal seat have taken sides vowing to use any means to eliminate the latter in order to bury his dream for clanheadship.
The third theory hangs on the recent attempts by some executive and royal forces in Ikot Ekpene to disposses Dr. Ime S. Ekpo of his choice properties, especially those located in the heart of the town. The recent attempt by some agents of government
to forcefully and arbitrarily claim the portion of land where Total Filling Station is located in Ikot Ekpene provides yet another clue in analysing Dr. Ekpo's many troubles.
Perhaps, beclouded by the magnanimity of these backgrounds, one may not be unfair in linking the recent siege around the premises of His Highness to any or all of the above theories because in every rumour, there must have been some elements of truth.
But it could be a baffling development that executive forces, which would have been expended for community development, are used to molest, threaten and go after the citizen's life, for the sake of seeking for relevance or power.

They are after his royal highness.