Ikot Obio Inyang Development Association, IKODA, is seeking the dethronement of the village Head of Ikot Obio Inyang in Etinan local government area over alleged wrong doing and has petitioned the Akwa Ibom State government to this effect.
Starwitness News gathered that IKODA which is a frontline community based organization in Ikot Obio Inyang, has already lodged the petition at the Ministry of local government and Chieftaincy Affairs.
A source at the Ministry confirmed the receipt of the petition but said that investigations into the matter were yet to commence.
The action of IKODA is coming after the entire village of Ikot Obio Inyang had reportedly rejected and denounced one Chief [name withheld [as their village] Head with effect from the twenty sixth of December 2020.
The denunciation was part of the resolutions contained in a document signed by ninety indigenes of a meeting of IKODA on the said date.
In the document, it was also reported that the entire men, women, youths and social groups in Ikot Obio Inyang had passed a vote of no confidence on the said village head, further demanding that he be stripped of his position as village Head of Ikot Obio Inyang and handed over to the police to face his pending police cases.
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Starwitness News gathered that before the resolutions were taken, IKODA had tabled up to fourteen allegations of misconduct against the Eteidung for deliberation.
One of the accusations reported by IKODA against the village head was the alleged vandalism of solar water installation of Ikot Obio Inyang, Etinan local government area.
Lawyers for IKODA at Selem Attorneys in Uyo had written to obtain a Police Investigation Report on the matter.
In the report signed by the Divisional Police Officer for Etinan, CSP Guga, the police had reached the conclusion that the evidence of vandalism, especially the solar panels against the village head is very clear.
In the wordings of the report, the statement of the village head is very direct to the fact that the village head was the person that carted away the solar panels and sold same without the consent of the petitioners who were instrumental to the installation of the water project, through the Niger Delta Development commission.
According to the police report the action has to be corrected so as to serve as a deterrent to others alike.
In the course of this reporting, the Police Public Relations officer in akwa Ibom State command, Mr. Odiko McDon confirmed the report on the Police investigation issued by the Etinan Divisional of the Nigeria Police Force.
Further action on the allegations made against the Eteidung of Ikot Obio Inyang is being awaited from the Ministry of local government and chieftaincy “Affairs and the police.
