Dennis Udoma
5 November 2009
Uyo — The gruesome murder of a former lawmaker in Akwa Ibom State, Hon. Umoh Offiong Udonwa, last month has split the Uyo branch of the Nigeria Bar Association.
Daily Champion reliably gathered that, confusion among the members started early yesterday morning at the judiciary headquarters venue of the meeting, where the aggrieved colleagues had intended to meet to flag-off a protest to sympathize with the deceased as the state government ordered the immediate suspension of the protest match.
The NBA was meeting to carry out a peaceful demonstration on the brutal killing of a colleague as some of them in government thwarted the effort.
Udonwa, was killed by unknown gunmen recently in Ibesikpo-Asutan local government area of the state and until his death, was a doctorate degree student in law at the University of Calabar.
One of the lawyers who claimed anonymity explained to this reporter that , NBA had wanted to carry out a peaceful demonstration against the increasing wave of brutal killings of innocent citizens in the state in recent times especially, their late colleague but was foiled by some government functionaries.
He said both commissioner for Housing and Urban Renewal, Barrister Emmanuel Enoidem and the Special Adviser to Gov. Godswill Akpabio on Political and Legislative Matters, Mr. Jerry Akpan stormed the meeting and directed that the protest should be suspended as the governor was away in London.
Chairman, Nigeria Bar Association [NBA] Uyo chapter, Mr. Essien Essien who spoke to newsmen shortly after the botched protest said, it would be pre-emptive to comment on the issue now until after his meeting with the governor.
The apparent intervention of the state government in the matter according to sources appeared to create suspicion in the death of the former law maker who was killed in the wake of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) reconciliation between Gov. Akpabio and Obong Victor Attah recently.
Contrary to the speculation, the deceased wife, Mrs. Lucy Udonwa who spoke to newsmen at Ewet Housing Estate in Uyo said, she has not suspected anybody in the death of her husband but appealed to the state government to improve on the security situation in the state to protect lives and property.
Prior to the botched demonstration on Wednesday by the Uyo chapter of NBA , lawyers under the aegis of Ibesikpo-Asutan Lawyers Forum had similarly registered their protest last weekend condemning the killing of their colleague.
A statement jointly signed by the forum chairman, Obong Edet A. Okon and secretary, Ubong Offiong stated inter alia; "We , under the platform of Ibesikpo-Asutan Lawyers Forum have condemned in strong terms the gruesome murder of our brother and colleague , Obong Umoh Offiong Udonwa by yet to be identified gunmen...".
The demonstration which was led by former Attorney-General of the state, Obong Mike Akpabio in company of others however, called on the state government and the state police command to urgently ensure , those behind the dastard murder of the deceased are brought to justice.
The late Barrister Udonwa hailed from Ikot Oku Ubo in Ibesikpo-Asutan ward 2. He represented the area in the state house of assembly from 1999 to 2003 as well as managing director of Mevu Oil Nigeria Limited.
The deceased left behind a wife, Lucy and four children. Daily Champion recalls, the death of former politician and businessman in recent times is the sixth of similar killings in barely eight months in the state.
The killing of innocent persons by assassins who disguise as motor-cyclists in the metropolis in the state has forced the state governor, Chief Godswill Akpabio to announced measures to checkmate the operations of Okada riders in the state.
Only last week, the governor in a press conference tasked motor-cyclists union in the state to fish out criminals in their midst or face sanctions as government may ban their operations.
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