Fear grips residents in Uyo over killing of Keke Napep operator
…As Housa Community calls for calm
Dennis Udo-Udoma, Uyo
The killing of a tricycle operator at Itam night market in Itu near, Uyo, the Akwa Ibom State, capital, on Sunday by Hausa truck driver has send shivers to the metropolis, as the market has been temporarily closed down to forestall a reprisal attack.
Eye witness, who spoke under anonymity told our reporter that, the incident happened on Sunday evening at the popular Itam market, when the truck driver stabbed the tricyclist with a knife after a heated argument.
The source said, the truck driver was negotiating for a space to park well for off-loading of rice, when he was obstructed by the tricycle operator with tables used by traders to display their wares thereby heightening traffic on the access road.
He said, the driver angered by the tricyclist’s behaviour, alighted from the truck and dealt a matchet cut on him, which later led to his death due to blood loss.
“The driver was angry because of refusal by the tricycle operator and traders to clear their wares on the road for him to properly parked for the rice to be off-loaded.
“When he alighted from the truck to try and clear the road but met with resistance by the traders, he brought out matchet and stabbed the tricycle man on the head,” he stated.
The incident however caused unrest at the market, when hoodlums cashed on the situation to steal and attempted setting the rice truck ablaze.
But for the quick intervention of the police drafted from Itam Divisional Police Station, the situation was brought under control while the market has been shut.
Meanwhile, the leader of Hausa Community in Akwa Ibom, Alhaji Alhassan Sadauki has called for calm and appealed to the security agencies to be pro-active and diligent in containing the crisis from escalating.
Sadauki, after a meeting with the DPO, Itam Divisional Police Station stated, “We are appealing for calm and calling on the security operatives to be diligent in their investigations.”
The State Police Commissioner, Mr. Olatoye Durosinmi, who did not pick his calls to confirm the incident, was said to be in a routine security meeting with his personnel at the time of filling this report.
