Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Godswill Akpabio and his wife, Mrs Ekaete Akpabio, have denied allegations by an investigative journalist, David Hundeyin, linking them with the death of an Akwa Ibom job seeker, Iniobong Umoren.
The duo denied the allegations while threatening to sue Hundeyin if he fails to retract his statement and tender a public apology within 14 days.
The New Diplomat had reported that Umoren, a graduate of Philosophy, went missing while attending a job interview in Akwa Ibom. The reports of the missing lady trended and #FindHinyUmoren was subsequently created for the purpose of calling out to security agencies to find the missing young lady.
Days after, reports of the death of Umoren came out and generated a barrage of reactions from Nigerians, who called for justice and that the perpetrators of the criminal act be brought to book.
Subsquently, the Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Akwa-Ibom Command Odiko Macdon, in a statement had confirmed that the police arrested a 20-year-old Uduak Frank Akpan, who was allegedly linked with the death of Umoren. According to the statement, Akpan allegedly lured Umoren to his residence under the pretext of offering her a job but raped, killed and buried the young graduate in a shallow grave.
Following the murder of Umoren, Hundeyin embarked on an investigation into the event and subsequently published a report titled “Murder in Uyo: Who Killed Hiny Umoren?” on the Newswirengr.
Hindeyin, in the report, claimed that he went through the telephone call history of Akpan, the prime suspect and discovered that he was mostly communicating with one Kufre Effiong. According to Hundeyin, Kufre Effiong is a worker in the Niger Delta Civil Service.
In the report, Hundeyin claimed that Akpan and Effiong met at a hotel named Davot Suites located in 58G, Ewet Housing Estate in Uyo after the death of Umoren. The purpose of the meeting however remains sketchy.
Hundeyin further alleged that Akpan is working for an “illegal organ trafficking ring to feed the booming global black market organ trade.”
Days after the report had gone viral, Hundeyin in a follow-up took to his Twitter handle via @DavidHundeyin to allege that the place Akpan and Effiong met is owned by the wife of Akpabio and that Effiong works for the minister.
He tweeted, “It has just come to my attention that Davok Suites, the hotel at the centre of the 58 Unit G/S.9, Unit G, Ewet Housing Estate nexus involving Kufre Effiong and Frank Uduak Akpan is owned by none other than Ekaette Akpabio, wife of Godswill Akpabio.
“In other words, this place where Frank Uduak Akpan, fresh from murdering Ini Umoren came to meet Kufre Effiong, belongs to the wife of Kufre’s boss and Federal Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Godswill Akpabio. So which politician has Kufre been ‘running errands’ for?”
Reacting in a letter dated May 12, 2021, Akpabio, who is also a former governor of Akwa Ibom State, denied that the hotel does not belong to his wife.
This was contained in the letter served to Hundeyin through the minister’s lawyer, Otobong Inyang of Star Attorneys.
The letter was titled, ‘Publication Of False And Defamatory Statements Against His Excellency, Sen. (Dr.) Godswill Obot Akpabio And Her Excellency, Mrs Ekaete Unoma Akpabio: Demand For Immediate Retraction And An Apology’.
Akpabio and his wife, in the letter, demanded immediate retraction of the publication and an unreserved public apology, adding that failure to act within two weeks of receipt of the letter would attract a lawsuit
It reads in part, “We hasten to make a point that assuming (though without conceding) that Kufre Effiong is a staff of the Ministry of Niger Delta Affairs and/or one of its contractors, Senator Akpabio does not know, has never met and has never had any contact whatsoever with him. Neither Sen. Godswill Akpabio nor his wife, Mrs Ekaette Akpabio had anything whatsoever to do with the horrific death of Iniobong Umoren.
“Secondly, neither Davok Suites (which is a corporate entity) nor the land housing it belongs to Mrs Ekaete Akpabio.
“Indeed, a proper search at the Corporate Affairs Commission would have disclosed to you that Mrs Ekaete Akpabio is neither one of the Directors nor Shareholders of Davok Suites.”
However, Hundeyin who took to his Twitter handle to reply told the minister to sue him.
He tweeted, “Hi @senator_Akpabio, this has come to my attention. First of all, no idea why the lawyer you hired addressed it to BusinessDay as if I work there. Second, please feel free to sue. Thanks.”
