Gunmen kill 2 soldiers, abduct expatriate in A/Ibom

Isaac Job, Uyo

Unidentified gunmen have killed two soldiers and kidnapped an expatriate from a road construction site in Ukanafun Council Area of Akwa Ibom state.

The incident occurred Tuesday afternoon as the expatriate engineer working with Al Madal Construction Company was inspecting the construction of Ikot Ibritam, Inen Ekeffe and Odoro Ikot to Ukanafun Road project awarded by the Akwa Ibom state government.

An eyewitness, Friday Idiok told our correspondent that the two soldiers were killed while escorting the expatriate on routine inspection of the road project along the Idim Okpok mini bridge in Inen Ekeffe the boundary village between OrukAnam and Ukanafun Local Government Area.

Idiok said the gunmen whisked the expatriate engineer away immediately the two soldiers were shot dead on the spot and residents ran away for fear of arrest by security operatives.

“There was sporadic shooting here and before you know what was happening, two soldiers were dead.

The gunmen also escaped with the soldiers guns and took the expatriate to their hideout. Everybody here is in a panic; we don’t know what the government would do in this matter,” he narrated.

Confirming the incident, the clan head of Inen, Obong Johnson Johnny Obosi said the community was burying one of their sons when they heard gunshots forcing the residents ran away.

“We were at the burial of one of our brothers, late Udoimoh and we were about to be entertained when we heard gunshots.

The next report was that two soldiers attached to the expatriates working on the road project that links my community with Ukanafun have been killed and the expatriate kidnapped,” the monarch said.

Obong Obosi, who could not establish the nationality of the kidnapped expatriate, said soldiers from Ibagwa Barracks came in their ambulance and removed the corpse of the dead soldiers to the mortuary.

Meanwhile, the Police Public Relations Officer in Akwa Ibom state, Odiko Macdon has confirmed the incident and promising that the police is doing everything poossible to arrest those involved in the crime.

In a telephone interview, Macdon said the police got the report and has made moves to arrest all the culprits, saying that “we have received information about the unfortunate dastardly incident at the road project in Ikot Ibritam, Inen Ekeffe leading to Ukanafun.

We are working with our sister agencies to identity, arrest and prosecute those involved.”