Governor Udom Emmanuel of Akwa Ibom State has ordered an investigation into the alleged physical assault on a resident of Abak Local Government Area of the state by the Chairman of the council over N75,000 debt.
Emmanuel in a short statement in reaction to the development yesterday in Uyo said: “I roundly condemn the assault that took place at Abak council, currently circulating on the social media.
“Such actions are unacceptable in a civilised society and do not represent our core values in the state. I have advised the Akwa Ibom State House of Assembly to commence full investigations into the matter.”
It was gathered that the Abak council chairman, Mr Imoh Williams, had last week ordered his personal orderlies, whose name could not be ascertained at press time, to beat up his victim and an artisan with a belt for posting on Facebook that he (Williams) was owing to him the amount.
Sources from the area, who equally condemned the act told Vanguard that they learned that the victim decided to go on Facebook after several attempts to reach the chairman to collect his N75,000, failed.
However reacting, Williams said: “I have seen the disturbing video of and physical abuse meted out on the man for his activities on the social media, by a group who claim to have acted on my behalf.
“In the light of the troubling social, economic and political implication of such anti-social vice on my person and office, I hereby state that at no time did the perpetrators of the act do so with my permission.
“I was only informed of the incident a fortnight ago when the perpetrators were rounded up by the police at the State Police Headquarters, and I was thereafter briefed on the matter.”
Source: Vanguard
