Angry youths of Ukpum Ete community, host to Sterling Global Ltd, a petrochemical and fertiliser processing firm, have continued to condmened the fatal shooting of a 13-year-old teenager, Timothy Daniel. he was shot on the head by a randy soldier, alleged to have attempted to sexually molest her teenage sister.
The suspect, attached to Chinese expatriates working in the company, LEADERSHIP learnt, allegedly killed the boy in the middle of a heated argument after her sister refused his sexual advancement on their way home from the New Year's church service held at Mount Zion Full Gospel Church, Akongntekong road in Ete clan in Ikot Abasi LGA.
An eyewitness, Anthony Akpan, who narrated the tragedy to our correspondent, said the incident occurred at about 12:15 a.m., minutes after the end of the Crossover session ushering in the new year.
According to him, "Miracle Daniel (15) and Timothy Daniel (13) were returning from the church with others, and as Miracle crossed over the road to urinate, the soldier, who was standing guard at the residence of the former clan head, late HRH. Clement Idemudo, sharing the same fence with the church, where Chinese expatriates live, followed her and made advances on her."
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"The young girl snubbed him, and he became angry and touched her sensitive part. At this point, Miracle got angry and insulted him for touching her, and he became furious and threatened the girl.
"The brother, who was waiting for the sister on the other side of the road, joined the sister and abused the soldier for making overtures to his sister. The soldier threatened them, and as they continued their abuse, the soldier corked his rifle and emptied the magazine on Timothy's head, and he died instantly. The soldier ran inside the compound and later came out and dragged the body inside," he stressed.
He recalled that the pandemonium that erupted spoiled the New Year celebrations as the angry youths vented their anger on properties, including cars. The BMW car belonging to a former Adviser on Political Matters to Ikot Abasi Chairman, Obong Uyai Udoiwod, was also torched.
Reacting to the incident, the apex socio-cultural organisation, Mboho Ukpum Ete, through its Publicity Secretary, Engr Patrick Udoma, in a statement made available to our Correspondent, described the bloody attack on a defenceless teenager as "a cowardly act of terrorism by a randy soldier using an arm as a weapon of rape, instead of using it against criminal elements."
"The President General of Mboho Ukpum Ete expresses dissatisfaction with the unprofessional manner in which the army personnel of Sterling Petrochemical unleashed mayhem on the citizens of Ukpum Ete in the murder of her citizen in the early hours of January 1, 2026, throwing the family and the clan into mourning.
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"This act is perceived as terrorism and an unacceptable act of cowardice by a Nigerian army trained and paid by the Nigerian government to protect the ordinary civilian for whom the gun was meant to protect," he stated.
The Ukpum Ete clan, therefore, demands justice and calls on the relevant authorities to impose appropriate punishment against the trigger-happy soldier.
Confirming the incident, the Army Public Relations (APR) chief, in charge of two brigades at Mbiokporo Nsit, in Nsit Ibom LGA, is Capt. Lawal Bala Mohammed said the Military Police were already investigating the incident.
"The incident has been handled by the Military Police, and is already under investigation," he assured.
