The late Atim Akpabio
A prominent Nigerian movie producer and gospel musician, Helen Ukpabio, recently lost her mother, Mrs. Atim Akpabio, who died after witnessing the murder of her three sons on the same day. Writes Mary Ekah
When on March 25 last year, three sons of Chief Essien Akpabio and Mrs. Atim Akpabio of Mente Village, Nkari Clan, Ini Local Government Area of Akwa Ibom state and sibling of a prominent Nigerian movies producer and gospel musician, Evangelist Helen Ukpabio, were allegedly killed by a security team consisting of the State Security Service (SSS) agents on the same, day, one would have thought that would be the worst woe that could befall a family within one year. The family had also lost a daughter a few days later who died from shock after learning about what happened to her brothers and while the family were yet to comprehend the reason why fate should treat them that way, they never envisaged that the another misfortune will befall them soon again.
A fact that the family is yet to come in terms with is that barely eight months after the aged mother witnessed the killing of her three sons and also lost a daughter, who was said to have collapsed and died upon receiving the news of her brothers’ death, the Akpabio’s family has also lost Mrs. Atim Akpabio to the cold hands of dead allegedly from a heart attack that came a result of the unfortunate incident that befall her.
Men of the State Security Service (SSS) allegedly killed Atim Akpabio’s three sons, Joseph, Charles and Emmanuel Akpabio on Sunday March 25, 2012 in the presence of their mother. Late Akpabio allegedly died following a heart attack that resulted from the dead of her three sons on the same day.
The late Akpabio who is also the mother to the Nollywood producer-turned evangelist, Helen Ukpabio, family members said never recovered from the shock caused by the incident. The aged mother, family said died a very unhappy woman in November last year while waiting with pains to get justice for her children.
“They were wrongly accused of a crime they didn’t commit. The police took laws into their hands and killed them before they even had a chance to defend themselves.
“We are already pressing charges, and my only surviving brother, Henry, a businessman abroad, is the one representing the family’s position. They were killed right in front of our mother, even as she was protesting on their behalf, after they had already been shot in the legs to cripple them. That was exactly on the 25th of March, 2012”, the filmmaker, said in a recent interview.
Relating what must have led to the killing of the three brothers, the attorney to Chief Essien Akpabio, father of the three slain brothers, Mr. Victor Ukutt, revealed that the brothers were killed over a N500 million payment as compensation to their family, which owns over 80 percent of a parcel of land on which a Dam is being constructed in the Nkari community.
“Our findings indicate that Chief Essien Akpabio, father of the three slain brothers, owns 80 percent of the total land mass where a Dam is being constructed in Nkari clan and the Federal Ministry of Water Resources had approved about Five Hundred Million Naira (N500m) as payment of compensation to the owners of the land where the Dam is being constructed”, Ukutt said.
He alleged that the State Security Service Agent, led by one Mr. Noel Nduka were hired by some persons to eliminate the family of Chief Essien Akpabio in order for them to take possession of the compensation in respect of the land on which the Dam is being built.
“At the moment, the SSS and killer armed men are still hunting for Chief Essien Akpabio and the daughter, Helen Ukpabio for elimination in order for them not to have any challenge in the sharing of the Dam compensation”, Ukutt said.
He said further that the Akpabio family has been frustrated by the authorities in bringing the felons to justice, noting, “First the police in Uyo had initially refused to grant audience to Evangelist Ukpabio (elder sister to the slain brothers) in respect of the matter. It took an a uphill task before she was allowed to see the Commissioner of Police, Akwa Ibom State”, said the lawyer who appealed that the state government should order the arrest and prosecution the felons, which it has failed to do all this while.
He therefore, on behalf of the Akpabio’s family, implored the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria to direct the Inspector General of Police to beef up security around Evangelist Helen Ukpabio, her aged father, Chief Essien Akpabio and the remaining members of the family “as the killer squad would do everything possible to conceal any evidence or eye witness in respect of the dastard murder.”
A prominent Nigerian movie producer and gospel musician, Helen Ukpabio, recently lost her mother, Mrs. Atim Akpabio, who died after witnessing the murder of her three sons on the same day. Writes Mary Ekah
When on March 25 last year, three sons of Chief Essien Akpabio and Mrs. Atim Akpabio of Mente Village, Nkari Clan, Ini Local Government Area of Akwa Ibom state and sibling of a prominent Nigerian movies producer and gospel musician, Evangelist Helen Ukpabio, were allegedly killed by a security team consisting of the State Security Service (SSS) agents on the same, day, one would have thought that would be the worst woe that could befall a family within one year. The family had also lost a daughter a few days later who died from shock after learning about what happened to her brothers and while the family were yet to comprehend the reason why fate should treat them that way, they never envisaged that the another misfortune will befall them soon again.
A fact that the family is yet to come in terms with is that barely eight months after the aged mother witnessed the killing of her three sons and also lost a daughter, who was said to have collapsed and died upon receiving the news of her brothers’ death, the Akpabio’s family has also lost Mrs. Atim Akpabio to the cold hands of dead allegedly from a heart attack that came a result of the unfortunate incident that befall her.
Men of the State Security Service (SSS) allegedly killed Atim Akpabio’s three sons, Joseph, Charles and Emmanuel Akpabio on Sunday March 25, 2012 in the presence of their mother. Late Akpabio allegedly died following a heart attack that resulted from the dead of her three sons on the same day.
The late Akpabio who is also the mother to the Nollywood producer-turned evangelist, Helen Ukpabio, family members said never recovered from the shock caused by the incident. The aged mother, family said died a very unhappy woman in November last year while waiting with pains to get justice for her children.
“They were wrongly accused of a crime they didn’t commit. The police took laws into their hands and killed them before they even had a chance to defend themselves.
“We are already pressing charges, and my only surviving brother, Henry, a businessman abroad, is the one representing the family’s position. They were killed right in front of our mother, even as she was protesting on their behalf, after they had already been shot in the legs to cripple them. That was exactly on the 25th of March, 2012”, the filmmaker, said in a recent interview.
Relating what must have led to the killing of the three brothers, the attorney to Chief Essien Akpabio, father of the three slain brothers, Mr. Victor Ukutt, revealed that the brothers were killed over a N500 million payment as compensation to their family, which owns over 80 percent of a parcel of land on which a Dam is being constructed in the Nkari community.
“Our findings indicate that Chief Essien Akpabio, father of the three slain brothers, owns 80 percent of the total land mass where a Dam is being constructed in Nkari clan and the Federal Ministry of Water Resources had approved about Five Hundred Million Naira (N500m) as payment of compensation to the owners of the land where the Dam is being constructed”, Ukutt said.
He alleged that the State Security Service Agent, led by one Mr. Noel Nduka were hired by some persons to eliminate the family of Chief Essien Akpabio in order for them to take possession of the compensation in respect of the land on which the Dam is being built.
“At the moment, the SSS and killer armed men are still hunting for Chief Essien Akpabio and the daughter, Helen Ukpabio for elimination in order for them not to have any challenge in the sharing of the Dam compensation”, Ukutt said.
He said further that the Akpabio family has been frustrated by the authorities in bringing the felons to justice, noting, “First the police in Uyo had initially refused to grant audience to Evangelist Ukpabio (elder sister to the slain brothers) in respect of the matter. It took an a uphill task before she was allowed to see the Commissioner of Police, Akwa Ibom State”, said the lawyer who appealed that the state government should order the arrest and prosecution the felons, which it has failed to do all this while.
He therefore, on behalf of the Akpabio’s family, implored the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria to direct the Inspector General of Police to beef up security around Evangelist Helen Ukpabio, her aged father, Chief Essien Akpabio and the remaining members of the family “as the killer squad would do everything possible to conceal any evidence or eye witness in respect of the dastard murder.”
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