Akwa Ibom State Governor, Udom Emmanuel, has promised that the government will ensure the killer of Miss Iniubong Umoren does not go unpunished.
He made the promise on Monday when he led some members of the State Executive Council on a condolence visit to the family of the deceased.
Umoren was the lady kidnapped, raped, and murdered by a young man who had promised her employment.
A suspect identified as Uduak Frank Akpan has since been arrested by the police in connection with the killing.
Governor Emmanuel, who was represented by the Secretary to the State Government, Dr Emmanuel Ekuwem, lamented that the whole state was saddened by the gruesome murder of the young jobseeker.
He condemned the killing of Umoren which he said was at variance with the state government’s efforts at encouraging the youths to be engaged in profitable ventures.
The governor decried that the late young lady was awaiting her National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) call-up letter for her mandatory national service before the incident.
He was, however, confident in the ability and commitment of the police to ensuring that justice was served, adding that the state government would not interfere with the investigations.
Speaking on behalf of Umoren’s family, her brother and sister, Ukeme and Ifiok, thanked the governor for the visit and appealed to him to ensure that justice was allowed to take its course.
The state government entourage on the visit included the Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Ini Emememobong; Commissioner for Education, Idongesit Etiebet, and the Commissioner of Women Affairs, Ini Adiakpan.
A Journey Of No Return
Late Umoren had shared a post on Twitter in which she said she needed a job to keep her mind and soul together on Tuesday last week.
Thereafter, she was said to have been contacted by Akpan who promised her a job and invited her over to his place.
Rather than getting the job as promised, Umoren’s hope and dream of becoming a great person in life were shattered as the visit to the purported employer became a journey of no return.
Worried by the sudden disappearance of their daughter, her family lodged a complaint at the police station in Uruan – a local government in Akwa Ibom State.
Umoren’s killing sparked outrage on social media as Nigerians demanded that the jobseeker’s killer be made to face justice.
The police also confirmed the arrest of the 20-year-old suspect in a statement on Sunday by the spokesman for the command.
Read the full statement below:
UPDATE ON THE DISAPPEARANCE OF MISS INIOBONG EPHRAIM UMOREN
The Akwa Ibom State Police Command has arrested one UDUAK FRANK AKPAN, 20 years old for kidnapping, raping, and murdering one Miss Iniobong Umoren.
On 30/04/2021, the Command received a report on the disappearance of the victim.
Following available leads, Men of the Anti-Kidnapping Squad of the Command, led by CSP Inengiye IGOSI, consolidated on the initial great progress made by the DPO Uruan, SP Samuel Ezeugo, and arrested the perpetrator who confessed to have lured his victim to his house in the guise of giving her a job but ended up sexually and physically assaulting her which led to her death.
To cover his tracks, he dragged and buried her in a shallow grave in his father’s compound.
The deceased has been exhumed and deposited at UUTH for autopsy.
The suspect confessed to have told his Local Government Chairman of his atrocity before escaping to Calabar and was never at any time handed over to the police by anyone.
Suspect is a confessed serial rapist who has owned up to the raping of other victims. He will be charged to court at the conclusion of the investigation.
The Commissioner of Police, CP AMIENGHENE ANDREW, fdc, psc(+) has called on youths and job seekers to be wary of the activities of scammers and other men of the underworld.
While appreciating the efforts of the social media family and other fighters of injustice, he has condoled with the family and friends of the deceased.
SP ODIKO MacDON (ANIPR)
POLICE PUBLIC RELATIONS OFFICER,
FOR: COMMISSIONER OF POLICE,
AKWA IBOM STATE.
