Lagos — A renowned film producer and President/Founder of Liberty Foundation Gospel Ministries, Evangelist Helen Ukpabio has raised an alarm over alleged threats to her life by agents of the Akwa Ibom State government due to her insistence that some people being sheltered by the governor should face prosecution over their infringement on her intellectual property.

Speaking through the solicitor to the Incorporated Trustees of the Liberty Foundation Gospel Ministries, Mr. Victor Ukutt during a press conference in Lagos, Ukpabio accused the governor of using his position to frustrate attempts by detectives from the Police Special Fraud Unit, Ikoyi, Lagos to arrest one Sam Ita Uma, his wife and some British nationals namely Gary Foxcroft, Tracey Macvey, MagGaven and Sophie Okonedo who were being sought by the police over allegations of counterfeiting, and pirating of Ukpabio's film/home video entitled "End of The Wicked" as well as sending threat signals to her.

The evangelist further alleged that Ita Uma and others of super-imposing the pirated film to run a documentary entitled "End of The Wicked - Dispatches Saving The African Witch Child" where they claimed that she labeled children as witches and torture them thereof and then extort money from their parents or guardians in the name of deliverance. As a result of the documentary, Ukpabio has been subjected to abuses, insults, negative write ups and threats to life within and outside Nigeria.

While saying that at no time in her ministry has she ever labeled any person as a witch, torture or collect money from anybody in the name of deliverance, Ukpabio said following the release of the pirated documentary by Itu Uma, and others, Ukpabio's life has been in danger as many people that watched the film had threatened to lynch or kill her in London, Los Angeles, or any other part of the world.

She accused Ita Uma and others of allegedly using the pirated film as a conduit pipe to attract sympathy in order to get money from world governments, non-governmental organisations and members of the public, whereas the children they claimed to have collected the money on their behalf are starving.

"While Itu Uma initially escaped arrest, he was later re-arrested with his wife, but while they were being taken to Lagos, the Divisional Police Officer in Eket received a call that he had received an order from the above that the suspects should be released," she alleged.

She further accused Governor Akpabio of frustrating attempts by the police to prosecute Ita Uma and others. Ukutt said the governor allegedly sent his personal assistant to the Commissioner of Police and the Investigating Police Officer, IPO at Special Fraud Unit, Ikoyi to stall the investigation and prosecution of the suspects.

Wondering what can be the interest of Governor Akpabio in the whole saga, Ukutt said Akpabio should desist from obstructing the course of justice by allowing those wanted by the police to show up and answer for their crimes.

"Governor Akpabio should note that Charles Taylor once held sway in Liberia but today is on trial for crime he committed while in office. He should also remember what happened to Saddam Hussein in Iraq and therefore we want him to remember that he would be held accountable for his actions while he was in power," the evangelist said.

Ukutt warned that should anything like kidnapping, assignation or anything unpleasant happen to the lady evangelist, her family and legal representatives, the state government would be held responsible. The lawyer also demanded that that state government should produce Sam Ita Uma, wife and all the persons wanted by the police at the Special Fraud Unit Ikoyi Lagos to answer questions of crime committed by them.