The year 2016 will go down, arguably, as the most eventful year in Akwa Ibom State. From good tidings to dreadful and ugly incidents, Akwa Ibomites saw it all in 365 eventful days.

In this New Year edition, NEWS LINK tries a compilation of happenings that really shook the state and will definitely leave a mark in the sands of time. Flip through and enjoy; it’s a collector’s item, fit for your library.

JANUARY

The Good:

 Supreme Court upheld Akwa Ibom State Governorship Election

The year started with the 18th January affirmation of the election of Governor Emmanuel Udom of Akwa Ibom state.

The apex court in its ruling neglected the appeal court’s judgement which cancelled elections in all 33 Local Government Area of the State, calling for a re-run.

The Supreme Court ruling effectively put to end legal battles between Udom Emmanuel of the PDP and Umana Umana of APC which started from Election Petition Tribunal and ended at the Supreme Court.

FEBRUARY

The Good:

Intimidation by Federal Forces:

How A’ Ibom youths rallied behind Ime Uwah

A large assemblage of youths in Akwa Ibom State on the 23^rd of February rose stoutly in defense of Mr Ime Uwah, a frontline entrepreneur in the state and who is also the Special Assistant to Akwa Ibom Governor on Marketing and Brand Management.

According to investigations, the peaceful night atmosphere in the city of Uyo on that eventful day was disrupted when some unknown gunmen claiming to be operatives of the Special Anti-Robbery Squad from Lagos, stormed the business premises of Mr Uwah with a search warrant that ordered them to search any discovered environment or premises owned or connected to him.

After stating that their mission was necessitated by a petition sent in by an unknown petitioner from the state, with claimed that Uwah owns a caravan where he stores ammunitions and uniforms of various armed and unarmed forces which he intends to use during the rerun election in Akwa Ibom.

According to reports, with their warrant and the proof of identity provided, the men were allowed to begin the search which began from Uwah’s most popular business centre, Eni Gardens, to his residence and finally to his farm along Akwa Ibom Airport Road. However, nothing was found.

However, trouble started when the men, despite not finding anything incriminating throughout the search, insisted on going with Uwah to their office in Lagos by road in a tinted glass Toyota Hiace Bus privately registered with number plate: EY 527 KJA.

Smelling something fishy in the mission, some close allies of Uwah who were with him began raising alarm and mobilising several youths to the scene and the attention of the State Deputy Police Commissioner was drawn in the process who stormed the scene shortly after.

According to information gathered, upon arrival, the police boss began scolding the men and asking why they want to embarrass the state police command by coming for such operation involving a high profile citizen without at least, reporting to him or the SARS Unit at the state headquarters.

Finally, the police boss immediately ordered them to follow him to his office at the Akwa Ibom Police Headquarters in Ikot Akpan Abia, while riding with Ime Uwah in his car.

At that point, hundreds of youths who willingly thronged the Ikot Akpan Abia Police Headquaters in their large numbers barricaded Ikot Akpan Abia road till about midnight and demanded Uwah’s release.

The youths said they were at the Police Headquarters to rally round a peaceful young man who they can vouch for. Some of them said Uwah cannot pile arms and was not the type to encourage such misdemeanor.

Also, while some of them tried to link the development to an earlier incident when the Akwa Ibom government house was raided on this same approach, but nothing was found and nothing till date has been reported to have been found, some laid the blame squarely on the APC who they reasoned were trying to vent their frustration of their legal misfortunes on Uwah.

When our correspondent questioned one of the youths why they were risking their lives, he said: “This is an act of love, and love is reciprocal. Irrespective of who you are, what you have, live your life in a way that people will always rise to your defense if and whenever the need arises. It pays to be good”.

Our correspondent who witnessed the release of Mr Uwah after the Police Commissioner met with both parties in his office said the youths only left Ikot Akpan Abia when they were sure that the lovable Uwah was allowed to go home.

The Bad:

Akwa United lost at home to crash out of CAF Confederation Cup

Despite huge financial backing by the Akwa Ibom State government plus intimidating crowd support, hosts Akwa United Football Club, one of Nigeria’s representatives in the CAF Confederation Cup, on February 28  in Uyo crashed out of the competition after losing on penalty kicks.

Akwa United crashed out of the competition after losing 5-6 in a penalty shootout in the return leg match against Vita Club de Mokanda of Congo at the Nest of Champions.

Akwa United, who had a 1-0 first leg advantage, however lost the return leg by the same scoreline after regulation time to throw the state into a sad mood.

MARCH

The Good:

Akwa Ibom rerun election held

The rerun elections held in four state constituencies in Akwa Ibom State on the 12^th of March.

The rerun in Etinan, Ibesikpo/Asutan, Ikot Ekpene/Obot Akara and Oron constituencies was ordered by the Court of Appeal, sitting in Abuja, in its judgment on appeals stemming from 2015 election petitions.

The candidate of the All Progressives Congress in the rerun election for Oron/Udung Uko State constituency of Akwa Ibom state, amazingly withdrew from the race, few hours to the poll. However, PDP made a total sweep of the poll.

The birth of Ituen Football Academy

Hon Idongesit Ituen(middle) pictured with boys from the Football Academy.

In a first of its kind by any well-to-do citizen of the state, Lawmaker representing Itu State Constituency in the Akwa Ibom State House of Assembly Hon Idongesit Ituen established the Ituen Football Academy intended to provide the most talented and skilled youngsters from his community with the opportunity to progress their career within football.

Such students will also contribute to the future success of Nigeria as a footballing Nation.

It was a commendable initiative considering the dearth of such ventures in this part of the country.

The Bad:

Cameroon took over Akwa-Ibom Communities, hoisted flag

The Cameroonian government allegedly forcefully took over parts of Akwa Ibom State not covered by the original judgment to cede part of the Bakasi Peninsular to the Central African country following a decision of the International Court of Justice (ICC) in The Hague in 2002.

More than 350 oil wells and fishing pots were allegedly seized, depriving Nigeria of potential revenues from these assets.

It was reported in the media that the people of Effiat Clan in Mbo Local Government Area of the state claimed the Cameroon government in a desperate attempt to cede their communities lured their village heads into accepting Cameroonian citizenships with documents acknowledging their headship.

A week before this incident, the member representing Mbo State Constituency in Akwa Ibom State House of Assembly, Mr. Samuel Ufuo, presented the issue as matter of urgent public importance to the House, saying that Cameroonian gendarmes terrorise, dehumanise, and deprive the people of their rights and privileges.

The lawmaker noted that a former member who represented the area in the National Assembly, Robinson Uwak, had in January 2015 alerted the Federal Government of the situation in Mbo, but no action was taken since then to demarcate, properly, the maritime boundary between Nigeria and Cameroon as determined by the International Court of Justice (ICJ) during the settlement of the ownership of the Bakassi Peninsula in 2002.

APRIL

The Ugly:

Dr Ivy Umanah murdered in her home by worker she hired

Dr Umanah

Mr Henry Silas, the killer

Initial mystery surrounded the death of a 44-years-old female medical doctor, Ivy Umanah at her residence in Shelter Afrique Extension, Uyo, Akwa Ibom state. The deceased who hailed from Ndon Eyo in Onna Local Government Area of Akwa-Ibom State was found dead in her sitting room on the 22nd April 2016, two days after she was declared missing.

The man suspected to have murdered the Head of Pathology of the University of Uyo Teaching Hospital (UUTH), Akwa Ibom State, Dr. Umanah, Henry Silas, later confessed  after being nabbed by the Police that he killed her because she owed him the sum of N100,000 after he had executed some assignments for her.

He was initially arrested and taken to the Divisional Police Station at Shelter Afrique Extension, but later released on bail.

But after much outcry, he was rearrested and during interrogation, he confessed to have used an iron rod to kill the woman because she refused to pay him the money as well as slapping him when he demanded for his money.

Dr Umanah’s body found dead in her house

MAY

The Bad:

$115m election Dasuki Money: Former Akwa Ibom State Governor detained by EFCC

On the 9^th of May, former Military Administrator of Akwa Ibom State, Air Commodore Idongesit Nkanga (rtd), was detained by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission for collecting N450 million from the $115 million (about N23.3 billion) bribe allegedly offered by the Presidency for the 2015 general election.
The EFCC alleged the money was said to have been given out by a former Minister of Petroleum Resources, Diezani Alison-Madueke.
The anti-graft agency said most of those who benefitted from the slush fund were chieftains of the then ruling party at the federal level, the Peoples Democratic Party, and officials of the Independent National Electoral Commission.
Nkanga is a chieftain of the PDP.
He was said to have been held in Port Harcourt, the Rivers State capital when he showed up on their invitation.
The money, deposited in cash with Fidelity Bank Plc by Alison-Madueke, was said to have been converted into Naira, with Nkanga receiving the N450 million in two tranches.
A staff of Fidelity Bank in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State, Saint-Anthony Ejiowu, was said to have given the money to Nkanga. The first ranch was N350 million, while the second was N100 million. He was released shortly after he might have clarified issues concerning his involvement in the matter.
Dangote truck crushes family of 6 in Obot Akara

On the 24^th of May, a family of six returning from a visit to their son’s school was crushed to death by a truck with Dangote Cement inscription in Akwa Ibom State, but the management of Dangote has allegedly denied knowledge of the said vehicle belonging to its fleet.

The family of six, led by the husband, Sylvanus Essien, his pregnant wife, three children and a house-help, were said to have travelled to St. Columbanus Secondary School, Ikwen in Obot Akara Local Government Area from Ikot Ekpene to visit their son when the incident occurred at Ikot Ntuen, the last village between Ikot Ekpene and Obot Akara. Eye witnesses attributed the accident to the recklessness of the Dangote Cement truck driver, Isa Bello, who incidentally escaped after the incident had occurred.

“The driver of the truck ran away immediately the accident occurred, but we saw his Driver’s Identity Card-DC/15/8697 inside the truck with number plate -TFA 136XA. “From the truck’s manifest, the vehicle was conveying cement from Obajana depot to Uyo when it veered off its lane to hit the Toyota Camry with Number Plate -GGE 723DX in which the late Mr. Hilary and his family were travelling.

Paramount Ruler’s wife gives birth in kidnappers’ den

Ubong Assam, the wife of the traditional ruler of Esit Eket in Akwa Ibom, was delivered of a baby girl while in custody of her kidnappers.

A family source, who pleaded anonymity, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), in Esit Eket, Esit Eket Local Government Area of Akwa Ibom, on Saturday, that the monarch’s wife gave birth to the baby in an unknown hideout of her abductors.

The kidnappers abducted the traditional ruler’s wife and her four children in the Akpautong neighbourhood of Esit Eket on April 29.

The source said the kidnappers quickly released the woman and her four children due to the birth of the baby.

Reacting to the development, the Police Public Relations Officer in Akwa Ibom, Cordelia Nwawe, said that the command expressed appreciation to God for the safe delivery of the monarch’s wife.

She, nonetheless, said that the command had yet to receive any information about the release of the kidnapped woman and her four children.

NAN, however, reports that the traditional ruler’s wife and her four children were released on May 14.

JULY

The Bad

Akwa Ibom pensioners protest on Governor Udom’s birthday

Protesting pensioners in Uyo, Akwa Ibom

Monday, July 11, was Governor Udom Emmanuel’s birthday. But some aggrieved local government pensioners embarked on a protest march to Government House in a bizarre incident.

The old men and women, about 1,000 in number, marched to Wellington Bassey Way, which leads to the Akwa Ibom Government House, as early as 9am, with placards.

Some protesters sprawled on the asphalted road, while others sat by the pavements, blocking traffic to the government house, the state judiciary headquarters, the ‘A’ Division Police Station, and other government offices.

The governor was not in Uyo during the pensioners’ protest. But the leadership of the union was invited into the government house to hold talks with government representatives.

The secretary of the Nigerian Union of Pensioners, Akwa Ibom State, Cosmas Essien that the government’s claim that the pensioners were not owed was untrue.

“The three tiers of government contribute to pay local government pensioners. It is the responsibility of the state government to make its own share of contributions to the payment, but the state government does not send in its own contribution,” Mr. Essien said.

“The little payment comes from federal and local governments.

“The accumulated arrears on pensions and gratuities are the parts that would have been contributed by the state government, to balance the amount of money to be paid (to the local government pensioners).

“We have consistently made requests for the payment, but they kept making promises which they never fulfilled.”

The Nigerian Union of Pensioners is the umbrella organization of other pension unions in the state.

Mr. Essien said their union was aware and had approved of the protest against the state government.

Mr. Essien said apart from retired local government workers, retired local government teachers were also owed their pensions and gratuities for four months.

The position of the union however contradicted the state government’s claim on the issue.

“We want to state categorically that Akwa Ibom State Government does not owe workers salary and has intervened regularly in the payment of pensions and gratuities to the local government pensioners,” Ekerete Udoh, the Chief Press Secretary to Governor Emmanuel said shortly after the pensioners’ protest.

Mr. Udoh said it was not the place of the state government to pay pensions of local government workers, but that the governor on July 8 made funds available for payment for one month of pensions to them.

Mr. Udoh said Mr. Emmanuel made the same gesture shortly after becoming governor in 2015, when, according to him, he paid a 10-year backlog of pensions and gratuities to retired primary school teachers and local government employees.

“It must be stated here, again that it is not the responsibility of the state governor to pay salaries and pensions of local government employees,” Mr. Udoh claimed in the press statement.

“The payment of salaries and gratuities to teachers and local government employees is the sole responsibility of the local government council.”

The governor’s chief press secretary said the protesters were sponsored against the government. The pensioners’ union denied the allegation.

“We did not have an idea that yesterday was his (the governor’s) birthday. No politician sponsored the protest,” the secretary of the pension union, Mr. Essien, said.

“We did it out of persistent hunger and cries. Pensioners need money to buy food, drugs and pay house rent.

“When the government said publicly that they didn’t owe pensioners, they caused landlords who were lenient to pensioners to now want to throw them out of their homes because they think pensioners were deceitful.

Mr. Essien said the Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, Victor Antai, met recently with the union, and promised that the arrears on pensions and gratuities would be paid in matters of days.

Mr. Essien advised the government not to pay only to a handful, while leaving a large number of pensioners unpaid for months, adding that the union was ready to take more than 17,000 pensioners into the streets for more protests if the arrears were not paid.

 
The Ugly

Avengers blow up oil pipeline in NSIT IBOM

The Niger Delta Avengers (NDA), the militant group, which has claimed responsibility for most attacks on oil installations in the Niger Delta, claimed responsibility for blown up pipeline of the Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) on July 24 in Nsit Ibom Local Government Area.
The militants made the claim in a tweet few hours after the blast that shook the whole local government area..
“At 4:00am @NDAvengers blow up NNPC Pipeline in Oruk Anam Local Government Area in Akwa Ibom,” the tweet read.
However, in swift reactions, Akwa Ibom State Government and the Police refuted the claim.
First was then Commissioner of Information and Communications, Mr. Aniekan Umanah who that “there is no iota of truth in the claims making rounds in the social media,” of NDA’s action.
He said what happened was an eruption occasioned by leakage in the old pipeline of the Nigerian Gas Company (NGC) which traversed the area.
Police corroborated government’s version through  the Commissioner of Police, Mr. Murtala Mani.
He reiterated that the alleged vandalism was an accident caused by a leakage in the gas pipelines. He said it was a technical problem and that some engineers from Port Harcourt were working to rectify the leakage.
Meanwhile, According to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), the gas pipelines are owned by Seven Energy Company, the operator of Ibom Gas Power Plant, Uquo in Esit-Eket Local Government Area of the state. Ikot Osutek community, the location of the gas pipelines, is along Ikot Abasi-Ogoni-Port Harcourt axis of the East-West Road in Akwa Ibom.
Further reports had it that many residents of the state were disturbed by the alleged attack, due to the revelation that the militant group had vandalised 23 gas pipelines since February 14.

Unoma Akpabio’s death rumour

Former Akwa Ibom State First Lady and wife of Senate Minority Leader, Unoma Akpabio was rumoured dead resulting from a critical health condition.

The rumour mill had it that  a major crisis brewed between the former Akwa Ibom State Governor and current Senate Minority Leader, Senator Godswill Akpabio and his in-laws.

“Eka Esit Mbom” or “Mother Theresa” as the former first lady was fondly called by her supporters and loyalists was truly b critically ill for  sometime but the rumour which spresd like wild fire about her demise must have rattled her immediate family.

Her traumatized husband finally cleared the air to the relief of well wishers.

“I am hurt by fabricated online reports saying, I am using my sick wife for occult and ritual purposes. These rumours are so wicked, I cannot fathom why people would sit down and create them”, Senator Akpabio said.

“During the cause of my wife having our children, my wife had caesarian child deliveries. Well, what we didn’t know was that for some reason there was a devastating surgical error. In sewing back my wife’s womb, some surgeon sewed up her bowels to her skin. Not just in one place but in several places. My wife took ill. During investigation, doctors discovered this surgical blunder. We were all shocked, including the doctors.
“The doctors have therefore had to conduct several surgical operations to detach and untangle my wife’s bowels from her skin. It’s been a terrible time for us and I have had to be there for her, that’s why I travel to make sure she’s ok”, he continued.

Good:

Ekere mounted the saddle at NDDC

In July, the Federal Government announced the appointment of Mr. Nsima Udo Ekere, 51, to the position of Managing Director of the Niger Delta Development Commission, NDDC.

On a positive note, his appointment is an opportunity for Akwa Ibom to recapture the position of MD of the commission after Dan Abia was eased out by President Muhammadu Buhari for Ibim Seminatari of Rivers State to take over in acting capacity.

However, his ascendancy is expected to empower the APC in Akwa Ibom and turn the party into a formidable force come 2019 where the APC is expected to mount a stiff challenge for Hilltop Mansion.

September

Good

Buhari appointed Umana Okon Umana as MD Of Oil & Gas Free Trade Zone

On September 25, President Muhammadu Buhari approved the appointment of Obong Umana Okon Umana, the 2015 Governorship Candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Akwa Ibom State as the Managing Director of the Oil & Gas Free Trade Zone Authority.

His appointment increased the number of Akwa Ibomites occupying key positions in Buhari’s led Federal Government.

Just like Nsima Ekere’s appointment, Umana’s elevation is also seen as an empowerment tool, expected to propel the APC in Akwa Ibom and turn the party into a formidable force come 2019 where the party is expected to mount a stiff challenge for Hilltop Mansion.

The Bad:

Six roasted to death in Petrol Tanker crash in Itu

Six persons were reportedly roasted to death in Itu when a petrol tanker crashed in an attempt to escape from police arrest.

The incident occurred on September 26 at a police check point along Obong Itam road in Itu Local Government Area of the state.

Sources said the driver of the truck was running away from the police when he was stopped at the check point as the vehicle was on with one head lamp at about 8.30p.m.
A source said the driver of the truck while trying to avoid the security operative sped off and crashed into the pavement.

Luck was not at the side of a tricycle operator as he was killed in the crash with five of his passengers.

OCTOBER

Bad:

The controversial ‘Maitama’ raid

Over 30 women, mostly female ex-members of the National Youth Service Corps, were arrested on the night of October 6 while celebrating their passing out at a popular joint in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State.

A team of Special Anti-Robbery operatives stormed the popular Maitama in Ewet Housing, arresting all the women present in a raid aimed at eradicating the area of prostitutes. They were ex-corpers but arrested as prostitutes.

The women were accused of engaging in prostitution. The women were chauffeured on police vans enroute Police Station and were taken to court the next morning.

Efforts by family members of the former corps members to bail their daughters met brick walls as the police said they have “orders from above” to charge them to court.

A media frenzy ensued in the state afterwards between families of the detained and Police who had a torrid time explaining why the raid took place.

NOVEMBER

Good:

Uyo played host to Super Eagles of Nigeria as they put one foot in Russia 2018

On the 12^th of November, the city of Uyo played host to the Super Eagles of Nigeria as they sounded out a message of warning to their group counterparts as they defeated the Desert Warriors of Algeria 3-1 in their 2018 World Cup qualifier at the Godswill Akpabio Stadium in Uyo.

The Super Eagles were handed a major motivational boost for the match as GovernorUdom Emmanuel promised them $10,000 for every goal they score that goes unanswered against the Desert Foxes in today’s World Cup qualifier.

Buoyed by the financial support from AKSG, the Eagles ran riot dispatching the Algerians with ease while the mammoth crowd played the decisive 12^th player in the encounter.

The win for Nigeria saw the Eagles firmly hold on to their position on top of the table with six points while the city of Uyo played the perfect host and cemented its place as the new home of Nigerian football.

Bad:

Controversial Anchor Poultry Borrowers Scheme:

Ufot Ebong VS House of Assembly

The Poultry Anchor Borrowers Programme, an empowerment programme of the Udom Emmanuel government ran into a hitch in November when the House of Assembly suggested that the scheme propagated by Elder Ufot Ebong, the SA to the governor on Due Process was full of discrepancies.

Accordingly, a seven member ad-hoc committee headed by Hon. Idongesit Ituen was mandated by the House to conduct an investigative hearing into the matter. Hon. Nse Ntuen was made the Deputy Chairman of the committee while, Hon. Udo Kierian Akpan, Hon. Usoro Akpanusoh, Hon. Samuel Ufuo and Hon. Mrs. Mfon Ekong were to serve as members.

The Speaker, Hon. Onofiok Luke mandated that the committee’s investigation will to border on the disbursement and implementation of the programme. He told the committee to investigate and determine the source of the publication of over 3,800 names of acclaimed beneficiaries, to ascertain whether due process was followed in the selection process; and whether the list of beneficiaries represents the composition of the State in proportionate manner.

However, the matter took a different turn when Elder Ebong snubbed the Assembly’s invitation and headed to Morrocco for a summit. An enraged House of Assembly then issued a warrant of arrest on Ebong- a move that almost put a strain to the relationship between the Assembly and Hilltop Mansion.

Bad

DSS/Judiciary Saga:

In major pushback, Justice Okoro alleged Amaechi, Umana tried to bribe him

In a major pushback by the Justice InyangOkoro to absolve itself of claims that he has been taking bribes, leading to his arrest by the Department of State Services (DSS) and further probe by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), the Akwa Ibom born legal heavyweight alleged that he was targeted because he refused to help the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) deliver judgments in the Rivers, Akwa Ibom and Abia governorship election appeals that were favourable to the party.

In a letter he wrote to the Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), Justice Mahmud Mohammed‎ on Monday, October 17, 2016, detailing his ordeal in the hands of the DSS, Justice Okoro said that a former governor of Rivers State and now Minister of Transportation, Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi, came to his house to persuade him to give judgments in APC’s favour and also promised to offer him millions of naira if he delivered.

He also claimed that APC guber candidate Umana Umana was accompamied to his house by a former commissioner during the Attah administration, Ebebe Ukpong to beg for judicial favours.

Umana and Amaechi however denied the allegations.

DECEMBER

Good

Thousands attended Akwa Ibom Xmas Carols

Rising above the tragic event the previous week, thousands of Akwa ‘Ibomites’ and other guests from across the world converged at the Uyo Township Stadium, Akwa Ibom, on December 17, as the state government held the ninth edition of its annual Christmas Carols Festival.

At the event which was privately sponsored, the state governor, Emmanuel Udom, in an emotional opening speech called the Christmas Carols Festival an expression of perfect submission to the will of God and a demonstration of the resilience of the state to pick itself up and trudge on with faith and hope in a better future each time it is beset by mind-numbing set-backs.

Udom declared to the capacity crowd, including top government officials, members of the diplomatic corps, clerics, international artistes, tourists and indigenes that in spite of the tragedy “our love for God is sacrosanct.”

Bad:

Udoedehe, Umana’s APC scuffle

The frosty relationship between APC Lords, Senator John Udoedehe and Umana Umana escalated last December.

The duo who have not seen eye to eye since Umana pipped Udoedehe to the APC guber ticket in 2015 have been at each other throats since Udoedehe alleged that his faction has been totally sidelined in the schemes of things, especially appointments coming from the APC controlled Federal Government.

For about two weeks, both political gladiators were busy in the media throwing mud on each other to the surprise of party faithful who were hoping for an unlikely marriage between the two warring factions in the party.

Ugly

Reigners Church building collapse in Uyo

Akwa Ibom State Governor Udom Emmanuel came within a whisker of being killed on December 10 in Uyo, the state capital, when a church building in which he was worshipping collapsed, killing close to thirty people.

The governor was among the top government officials and other dignitaries at the Reigners Bible Church along the Uyo village road when the tragedy occurred about 11am, leaving hundreds of worshippers trapped inside the church.

The Reigners Bible Church, located along Uyo Village Road, was filled to capacity because its pastor, Akan weeks was being consecrated as a Bishop when the tragedy occurred.

A panel of enquiry has been set up by the government to unravel the cause of the ugly incident.

Ugly:

Commissioner Ephraim Inyang-Eyen’s Christmas Day tragedy

Fire on Christmas evening razed the house of the Akwa Ibom State commissioner for works, Mr. Ephraim Inyang-Eyen, allegedly destroying millions of valuables.

It was gathered that the fire started at about 7p.m. when only a few of Inyang-Eyen’s domestic staff were present. The commissioner and his family were away at their village in Onna, celebrating Christmas when the incident occurred.

No statement has been made concerning the cause of the incident two weeks after it occurred.