Thanks to Linda Ikeji for lending her voice

<<http://lindaikeji..co.uk/2014/12/family-demands-release-of-son-who-is.html?m=1>>

Endless Detention Of Odudu Ukpanah: Injustice Taken Too Far – By Inibehe Effiong


Citizen Odudu Albert Ukpanah is the only
son of Late Engr. Albert Jimmy Ukpanah
from Ukanafun Local Government Area of Akwa Ibom State. Odudu, 31, a brilliant and peace loving man holds a B. Sc. in Geophysics from the University of Calabar and an M. Sc. from Coventry University, United Kingdom.

The Late Engr. Albert Ukpanah was an
outspoken chieftain of the ruling Peoples
Democratic Party (PDP). He had served his party as a member of the State Working Committee of the PDP in Akwa Ibom State.

He was also a one time Caretaker Vice
Chairman of Ukanafun LGA of Akwa Ibom
State. Notably, aside being a thorn in the flesh of some prominent politicians and political office holders in his area, the late Engr. Albert Ukpanah was a vociferous opponent of the 2015 senatorial ambition of Chief Godswill Obot Akpabio, the Executive
Governor of Akwa Ibom State.

Like several other persons in his area that subscribe to the PDP zoning policy, he believed that it was the turn of his area (Abak Federal Constituency) to produce the next senator to represent the Ikot Ekpene Senatorial District of Akwa Ibom State in the Senate come 2015. He saw Akpabio’s Senate
bid as a grave injustice to his people.
On Wednesday March 12, 2014 he was
brutally murdered by dare-devil assassins at his Abak residence at about 9:40pm.

From the cogent, uncontradicted and
plausible account given by the immediate family of the slain politician, the deceased asked his son, Odudu, who was the only person with him at the material time to bring three (3) plastic chairs for himself and yet to be unidentified visitors that he was expecting.

After bringing out the chairs as directed,
Odudu went inside the living room and
continued watching the European league
which he was enjoying prior to the arrival of the visitors. His father later came into the living room and took drinks (Remy martins and 1 can stout), which he ostensibly offered his guests. Upon sensing that the expected meeting had lasted for too long, Odudu went out to check on his father only to meet him lying lifeless in the pool of his blood.

Mr. Odudu who was very deeply frightened immediately raised an alarm and sought the assistance of neighbours who came to his aid. They then helped him carry his father’s body to the hospital where he was pronounced dead by doctors. He made a report to the police division in Abak LGA where the incident took place the following morning after which one of his aunts took him away to Eket LGA for safety.

Therefore, while it is true that the police
officers from the State Command did not
meet him at home when they first arrived the scene, it does not imply that he escaped since the aunt had taken him away. Let me also state that when the police officers from Abak arrived the scene, they saw the bottle of the Remy martins and the container of the can stout which they took away. Photographs evidencing this are there for all to see.

An investigation into the incident was taken over by the State Police Command which resulted in the production of a Police Investigation Report signed by one Sgt. Ibediro Nnamdi, the Investigating Police Officer, (IPO), which was leaked to the media and published by several newspapers in Akwa Ibom State, I have the report with me For clarity and benefit of doubt, the opinion recommendation part of the PoliceInvestigation Report dated 25th. March, 2014 and signed by the IPO, Sgt. Ibediro Nnamdi, is reproduced verbatim as follows:

“In view of the above findings, the following suggestions are proffered. Since investigation into the case is still on, it is wise to nose around for more information that may reveal the REAL KILLERS of Hon. (Engr.), Albert Ukpanah, AS THE KILLING MIGHT BE POLITICALLY MOTIVATED ASSASSINS.

Above report is for your consideration and further directive, please” (emphasis mine).
I need to also mention here that in
furtherance of its investigation into this
case, the police had seized the GSM phone of the late Albert Ukpanah with an
undertaking that same would be forwarded to the State Security Service (SSS) for forensic analysis since the deceased is believed to had communicated on phone with his yet to be identified guests before their arrival.

Till date, nothing has been heard of the
result of the said forensic analysis by the
SSS. Nigerians should ask the Akwa Ibom
State Government, the SSS and the police about the outcome of the forensic analysis.

A check with service providers would have revealed the call logs of the deceased shortly before he was murdered.

Instead of identifying the ‘REAL KILLERS’ of Albert Ukpanah as recommended by the IPO, the Akwa Ibom State Government led by Gov. Godswill Akpabio went on a frolic and had his only son, Odudu Ukpanah framed-up, arrested and charged to court on a totally senseless and trump-up charge
of killing his own father.

A careful perusal of the proof of evidence filed alongside the information (charge) by the prosecution leads irresistibly to the conclusion that the paper on which the charge was preferred, have a far more value
than the charge itself. There is absolutely no modicum of evidence, not even impliedly, establishing a nexus (link) between Odudu and the death of his father.

It is just an audacious but shameless
charade meant to cover the truth.
Those listed as witnesses are basically
neighbours who responded to the alarm
raised by Odudu. One even said in court
during his testimony that he did not know why he was in court but later recalled that he was summoned to testify because he had made a statement to the police; a statement that did not incriminate Odudu
in any way.

What on earth will make a young Masters
Degree holder in Oil and Gas from one of
the reputable universities in the UK and a well fared and very comfortable first and only son of an influential father think of taking the life of the man that meant the world to him? Why should Odudu kill the very father that sponsored his education abroad and bought him a car upon his return to Nigeria last year? Why?, and why? There is this frivolous and very irresponsible propaganda that has been sold to credulous members of the public by agents of the state government that Gov. Akpabio had
offered the deceased the sum of 2million
naira on the day he was murdered to assist him in taking care of his wife’s failing health and that Odudu had killed the father to have the said money to himself.

Firstly, supposing without conceding that
such money was actually offered to the
deceased by Gov. Akpabio, it is most
unthinkable to say the least, for a sane
person to even suggest that a person in the social and educational standing of Odudu will kill his father because of a paltry sum of 2million naira. This to me is a rape on logic and commonsense.

Secondly, did the governor called Odudu to inform him of his “generous offer” to the father? Since the governor had publicly admitted that he gave the said money, he should please tell us where and who the said money has been traced to?

Another lie being spread by the yes men of the government that I wish to puncture is the lie that Odudu broke the door to his father’s bedroom and carted away the purported 2mllion naira. The truth of the matter is that one of Odudu’s aunts had advised the children of the deceased to search for and retrieve important documents for safety.

Since the deceased had always locked his bedroom and the keys could not be found, the only option was to break the door. In the presence of relatives
and neighbours, a carpenter was invited
and he broke the door. This was in the
evening of March 13, 2014 (a day after the incident).

As part of their investigation, the police had invited the carpenter to make a statement on what transpired which he did.
Remarkably, the carpenter’s statement was discarded.
Since the emergence of the present regime in Akwa Ibom State in 2007, there has been an unprecedented upsurge in unresolved high profile politically motivated killings.

Quoting an annual report by the Nigeria
Police Force, a Sunday PUNCH report of
November 21, 2010 (page 3) said there were 74,064 murders and similar cases in Nigeria within two years.
A state-by-state analysis of this record ranks Akwa Ibom State with a population of 3.9m (2006 estimate) as being the highest with preponderance of such crimes. The police report said in 2009 alone, Akwa Ibom recorded 177 murders (most of which are said to be politically motivated), 62 attempted murders, one manslaughter, eight suicides, 21 attempted suicides, 320 assaults, 18 child stealing, 93 rape cases and. indecent assaults, 29 kidnappings,
among others. The 2011 figures marked a remarkable increase when compared to 2007.

Sadly, no single conviction has been
recorded for these murders.
The innocent Odudu Ukpanah has been in custody for the past seven months while the state continue to play hide and seek with the case. So far, efforts to admit him to bail has not seen fruition. On Monday December 15th, 2014 the court adjourned ruling on his bail application to January 7th, 2014.

The mother of Odudu is now critically ill
with cancer. The family have expended all they have on litigation all in a bid to secure the release of the poor young man who they know is completely and totally innocent of the charge against him.

I am appealing to our friends and partners in the civil society, human rights community and the media to rise up to this very historic battle for justice. I appeal to human rights lawyers, activists, journalists all lovers of justice in this country to come to the rescue of this family. We have done it before, lets do it again. This is an injustice of the century.
Our voices must be heard for the
Ukpanah’s. They have suffered enough, and it is time to put an end to this state
sponsored madness and oppression. This
seems to me a case where the killers are
looking for the killers and the victims of the killing are being haunted to cover the truth.

Engr. Albert Ukpanah must not die in vain.

His killers and their sponsors must not
laugh last. His blood cries for justice and
the time to act is now, not later. Enough is enough.

Inibehe Effiong is a Human Rights Activist based in Lagos.

Email: inibehe.effiong@gmail.com
+2348065142135

<<http://ibommobile.com/endless-detention-of-odudu-ukpanah-injustice-taken-too-far-by-inibehe-effiong/>>

Ayinisong......I'm totally in support of your assertion. I think, the attention should be shifted to 70% human capacity development and 30% infrastructural development. My gut feeling is that wastages is synonymous to Government. AKSG Private jet worth 45mill USD is extravagant and frivolous. Let me break it down (USD 45M is equivalent to N7,200,000,000) that's absolutely two months allocation to Jigawa and Gombe states. If you invest this in small scale businesses and empower people with say N5Mill then 1440 citizens would have been impacted positively and their lives changed.
I sincerely hope that Government would some day focus on people-centric policies and leave the politics of who succeeds them. I also believe that accountability and prudence is key to delivering the much needed dividends of democracy.

Perhaps we wouldnt be surprised this happened in Abia state, we should be careful in this part of the country because kidnapping is like trading pure water on the streets. Read this pathetic story.

The Story of my abduction.


I was traveling from Aba in Abia state back to PortHarcourt where I reside after a marriage introduction ceremony of my youngest sister Nene in my family house in Aba. I left the house at about 4pm that day 15/5/2010 with my small uncle Anayo and a cousin Maureen. Maureen dropped somewhere in Aba while I proceeded to Portharcourt with Anayo. We had barely traveled 11km when we met what appeared to be a routine Police check point at Ihie. Normally we were flagged down for routine check at about 5pm or even later. I was asked for my driving license which I produced, I was asked to come down and open my boot and it was at this point that I was told to enter a waiting Kia saloon car facing right and at right angle to the main express road. Other vehicles were stopped simultaneously for stop and search. An SUV that refused to stop was sprayed with bullets with apparent missing of targets and within about 5minutes the operation was over. About 2 vehicles carried the victims, a Kia saloon and a Pathfinder SUV. Some of us were loaded in the booths. After 5minutes drive into the village we were all blind folded and now driven through untarred bush roads to an isolated location which was a transit point. It took about extra 5minutes to get there. You know things were happening fast and it was so easy to lose tract of time. At this temporary site, we were thoroughly beaten with the butts and barrels of the gun. I never knew pains could be felt in quick succession after trauma to a particular point. When I was hit at the back with the AK47 assault riffle, I felt the first superficial pain and this was followed immediately by another crushing pain much deeper. We were about 15 people, men, women and children. After about 4hours, the women and children were driven back to the road to find their ways home. We the men, about 9 in number now waited for the next 1.5hours to be taken to their so-called police cell were they kept captives. In the transit camp where we were kept, there is one small house inhabited by a woman and some 2 or 3 children. The woman had normal conversations with our captors and her small baby was always crying. We left the temporary area in the same 2 vehicles and by 10minutes we were in the cell. The place was surrounded by bushes and harbored a roofed but un-completed block house with doors. A standby generator was on and I had lifted the scarf over my eyes a little long before we left the transit location. We were bundled into a dark room wit one window and with 8 captives inside already. The mode of capture of these previous 8 was targeted and not as random as ours. Example the councilor was visited by them as a Police team in a Police vehicle and informed that he was wanted in the police station in connection with certain matters. He followed them willingly. We could only sit or lie down with our eyes covered. We were 17 in number in my cell. These include 3 Royal highnesses (The Eze of Isuochi, The Eze of Omuma, and another very important Eze that I couldn’t quite identify well because he was taken away shortly for ‘special treatment’ and remained there after I left), the councilor representing a constituency in Omuma (hypertensive and diabetic), a retired NNPC manger (diabetic), a retired CBN supervisor, a PTI lecturer/pastor, 2 yahoo fraudsters, drivers, a tailor, and some others. Our cell phones, money and every other belonging were taken from us apart from our clothing. Food is never given to the captives and water is dispensed at extreme discretion of the captors and by my calculation this amounted to 500mls alternate daily. At a point the councilor drank my water as I moved a little out of my position to urinate. As it was close to midnight, the captors encouraged us to pray and came in periodically to check on us. I must tell you that we all prayed as never before till morning. We also continued to pray like that every day. For me it was as true as daylight. The next day was a Sunday and at about 9am, the captor in-charge of making contacts for the captives came into our cell enquiring for people needing to contact their people for early release. It followed the sequence from interrogation about yourself and work to brutality and torture, bargain for release and possible mortal injury following failure to reach an amicable settlement. One of the captive’s phone lines was always used for these contacts. The man in charge of the contact making is called a name. I figure he is the 3rd in command in the camp. He comes with aides who brutalize the captives mercilessly on failure to agree to a stated bill which runs into millions of naira. My initial bill was N10million even though it came down to N2m later. I was now asked to talk to my people. I talked to my people and returned the phone to the captors for negotiation with my people. The first bidding amount from my people was N100,000 which earned me the beating of my life in the hands his aides. I was hit with the gun repeatedly and while pointed close to my neck with the gun corked and uncorked severally and with several simultaneous kicks on the head and body, I was asked to talk to my people. The beating was temporarily halted when impressed it on my people of the need again to be ‘reasonable’ amidst my cry of pains. I was one of the youngest captive. One can now imagine the impact of the brutality on an elderly man and the sick people. On that Sunday the councilor was beaten blue and black on failure to accept the N10million request fast. This was a frail looking man with 10 children, a wife and with the whole extended family as dependants. He collapsed with repeated hits on the head, ribs, hands and every other parts of the body with the butt, barrel of the gun and woods measuring 2inch x 2inch in thickness. He was literally left helpless on the floor. He constantly bemoaned his fate and wished to die in his house where his corpse will at-least be seen and given a burial unlike the camp here where our captors will bury him. He recovered a little by Monday but that never gave him any reprieve as he continued to receive thorough beating like the rest of us. Many of us all cried like babies. The councilor got his people to sell his new car, his lands, and several other belongings and all amounted to the sum of N450,000. He also sought to collect the month’s contribution among 10 of his colleagues amounting to N500,000 which never materialized by the time I left them. My brother it was pathetic for the diabetic and the hypertensive. It is noteworthy that age was no barrier to the brutality because we had 2 people who were above 70years of age, the Eze of Omuma and the Eze of Isuochi. The first received thorough but a moderated level brutality which increased sequentially with each daily failure to meet the captors’ demand while the second, though brutalized, had some significant consideration because he is 74years. His wife had to walk virtually the whole streets begging for money and he also had to sell lands. The rest received the same level of brutality and torture which increased with every passing day. I tried to get close to the retired NNPC man who is also a pastor because I felt he never understood the psychology of this group that prefer to call themselves Abia State Militants. He never agreed to any fixed amount and I felt he mistook the initial moderation of the brutality on him as a spiritual effect. He is a retired man and probably over 60yrs of age. However, he was soon to understand that his judgment was wrong. The mercilessness of the boys was un-paralleled because by the time I was leaving the camp on Tuesday night there was a special torture session carried out simultaneously by over 20 of the militants which I myself may have found difficult to recover from despite my good physical fitness. The captors had claimed that a cell phone had been stolen in the camp and all the captives that refused to bargain ‘properly’ were responsible. The captors appear not to have much interest on what they regard as poor fools like drivers, gaunt looking people, mechanics, tailors etc. Even though the ‘poor fools’ sometimes pay all their savings to the captors, they tend to receive good considerations in terms of length of stay only. I left the camp after the direct negotiation between my people and my captors went through. We left the camp at about 10pm on Tuesday. Those released that night were the Professor (Eze of Isuochi), one pastor, one driver and my humble self. Three of us were bundled into the booth of a Nissan Pathfinder SUV while Prof was given the privilege of sitting down comfortably inside the car. As we left the camp, one or two small boys were moving about close by and our captors questioned the supposed strangers in a loud voice asking “who be that” and the small boys (I say small boys from their voice on reply) answered “I beg na indigenes”. The Eze of Omuma was released a day earlier after paying the sum of one million two hundred thousand naira. After about 5minutes into our journey to freedom, the SUV stopped suddenly and refused to start again. After a few futile attempts to start the car, the four armed captors disembarked and called the camp for another vehicle. They identified their position as opposite the Nigerian Police Station. In less than 4minutes a new Toyota corolla arrived for us to continue our journey. I was asked to enter the booth with the pastor/PTI lecturer. They discharged us at Ihie junction and gave us transport money. We all walked bare footed because even our shoes were collected. I received N500.00. They also informed me that my vehicle was at the Police station. The Prof and the released driver proceeded to Portharcourt while I proceeded to Aba with the pastor. I arrived my family house at Aba at about 12:09am on Wednesday to the jubilation of my parents and every other person in the house and on the street. I am grateful to my relatives who contributed immensely for my release. They include my parents, my wife, my brother, my sisters, my cousin, my uncles abroad, my in-laws, my mother’s uncle, my aunt, the pastors who prayed continually, my local church, my genuine friends who acted promptly and several well wishers.
I did not involve the police and it was the best decision. The location of the camp is not hidden. The subdued villagers know them and also know all their locations. Again the terrain of the area consisting of thick bushes, well spaced houses and the bad nature of the road all combine to favor the use of those locations by the militants. The militants tend to wear military uniforms in the camp and police uniforms with police bullet proof vest outside the camp for their normal operations. They carry AK47 assault riffles and perform drills each morning in the bush around the cell building- the so-called camp. All the boys spoke the local dialect- asa/ngwa version of igbo language. The chairman/leader of the group who authorized each release has facial tribal marks, speaks same dialect. It may not surprise me if he is a northerner and security personnel. It is impossible that the security agents do not know their position. The joy of release subdued all the pains. I also forgot I had not eaten for 4days. I proceeded to Ihie Police station to collect my car as I was informed by my captors as my car was too old for an operational vehicle. I saw the vehicle at local police station at Ihie. I fulfilled their formalities, made statements and informed them of the release of Prof. In doing these I guarded my utterances because you never know who the insiders were. I also spoke with the DPO of the station. I also met some special police units who came on routine patrol to the police station and narrated my ordeal to them. On this visit to retrieve my car I also observed that the security agents concentrated their presence on the express road leaving the entire village empty. My brother even the people you are supposed to report to are scared and appear helpless. You also cannot rule out their support from politicians because of several boasts of installing candidates come 2011. Information flow freely in the camp there; it is unimaginable how the information comes without government/security insiders. It also appeared they were planning relocation soon based on the insiders’ requests; possibly because of impending raid by government forces. They claim to pay some insiders-the normal Nigerian settlement.
It is pathetic the level Abia state has degenerated to. It is a level just slightly above those of animals and the bottom line is greed, corruption, power drunkenness. I understand Imo-state is following closely.
I became ill on Thursday- the cumulative effects of the ordeal. My heart goes out to the innocent men still in captivity. I wonder if they will make it alive. They include the retired NNPC manger/pastor in Winners chapel (Yoruba), retired CBN supervisor (igbo), the councilor (Omuma), The Eze who I could not identify well.
What if these kidnappers were ritualists; what would have been our fate; it is all greed, corruption, power drunkenness. Until there is good and committed leadership everything will continue to go downhill.


Dr Ohaka, MD.

the last time i had a chat with them, the still stood their grounds that they wont honor deferments.
but there is no officioal statement yet.
You can find out yourself

[url][/url] (I'M ONE OF THE 2009 SCHOLARS)
On Wednesday morning at the PTDF office at Gimbia street Garki Abuja, I was reliably informed that the one year deferment for 2009 scholars who could not proceed on their overseas scholarship for whatsoever reasons, will have their awards FORFEITED. Going forward, the award will be valid for a year only. As at today, more than 90 scholars have been affected and this accounts for about 20% of the 2009 scholars.

This is a result of the short-sightedness of the management to decommission UNIVATION without making replacements.

I think the PTDF have lost focus totally IN VIEW OF THIS because

1. In 2009, more than 450 scholars were admitted into the fund which was way out of what they could manage. My thought is why bite more than you can chew? I believe it was a media jamboree.

2. The award is based on slots per state, how will PTDF compensate for those slots now they have bounced about 90scholars? Take note that majority are from the Niger Delta, which is signs enough to degenerate to Niger Delta neglect.

3. Why decommission UNIVATION without a formidable structure to take up the responsibility? today Nigerian scholars are struggling and suffering in the UK. FYI UNIVATION is the UK agent in-charge of liaising between the Institutions, scholars and PTDF. They manage welfare of scholars, on-boarding and any assistance whatever in the UK.

4. What happens to the budget for the 90 scholars that were supposed to be on training in 2009?

5. Majority of the stranded scholars had issues like no admission, late visa issuance by UK embassy et al, Presently, there are no plans to address the issues that lead to deferments. Is that not madness?

FINALLY, I THINK THERE IS A PERCEIVED FOUL PLAY, EITHER THE BUDGET HAS BEEN MISAPPROPRIATED OR THE FUND IS RUNNING IN CIRCLES, COMPENSATING THEIR CRONIES BY DIVERTING SCHOLARSHIPS OF INDIGENT, SMART AND INTELLIGENT NIGERIANS TO CARELESS CHILDREN OF THE ELITE.[quote][/quote]
CAMPAIGN FOR OUR RIGHTS. we must come together, all affected scholars and storm Abuja. we merited the scholarship and now they want to deprive us. WE MUST EXHAUST ALL OPPORTUNITIES TO SET THINGS RIGHT.

[url][/url] (I'M ONE OF THE 2009 SCHOLARS)
On Wednesday morning at the PTDF office at Gimbia street Garki Abuja, I was reliably informed that the one year deferment for 2009 scholars who could not proceed on their overseas scholarship for whatsoever reasons, will have their awards FORFEITED. Going forward, the award will be valid for a year only. As at today, more than 90 scholars have been affected and this accounts for about 20% of the 2009 scholars.

This is a result of the short-sightedness of the management to decommission UNIVATION without making replacements.

I think the PTDF have lost focus totally IN VIEW OF THIS because

1.  In 2009, more than 450 scholars were admitted into the fund which was way out of what they could manage. My thought is why bite more than you can chew? I believe it was a media jamboree.

2. The award is based on slots per state, how will PTDF compensate for those slots now they have bounced about 90scholars? Take note that majority are from the Niger Delta, which is signs enough to degenerate to Niger Delta neglect. 

3.  Why decommission UNIVATION without a formidable structure to take up the responsibility? today Nigerian scholars are struggling and suffering in the UK. FYI UNIVATION is the UK agent in-charge of liaising between the Institutions, scholars and PTDF. They manage welfare of scholars, on-boarding and any assistance whatever in the UK.

4. What happens to the budget for the 90 scholars that were supposed to be on training in 2009?

5. Majority of the stranded scholars had issues like no admission, late visa issuance by UK embassy et al,  Presently, there are no plans to address the issues that lead to deferments. Is that not madness?

FINALLY, I THINK THERE IS A PERCEIVED FOUL PLAY,  EITHER THE BUDGET HAS BEEN MISAPPROPRIATED OR THE FUND IS RUNNING IN CIRCLES, COMPENSATING THEIR CRONIES BY DIVERTING SCHOLARSHIPS OF INDIGENT, SMART AND INTELLIGENT NIGERIANS TO CARELESS CHILDREN OF THE ELITE.[quote][/quote]
CAMPAIGN FOR OUR RIGHTS. we must come together, all affected scholars and storm Abuja. we merited the scholarship and now they want to deprive us. WE MUST EXHAUST ALL OPPORTUNITIES TO SET THINGS RIGHT.