Police suggest relocation of Uyo Mechanic Village as Enquiry Panel begins hearing on crisis
By Ofonime Honesty/ Mercy Obot
The Administrative Panel of Enquiry on the Uyo Mechanic Village crisis had its inaugural public hearing on Monday, with seven persons earlier invited by the panel, appearing and testifying.
First to make an appearance was Inspector Mary Edrah attached to C' Division of the Nigeria Police, Uyo, Akwa Ibom State Command.
She said the police, after thorough investigation, discovered that the crisis was triggered by a case of two-fighting which led to the wounding of an apprentice named Douglas Ime Udo.
According to her, it was an argument on how to dispose waste that elicited the initial fight.
To this end, Inspector Edrah told the panel that the market is located in a residential area and its compact size gives no room for a location where waste can be properly disposed and suggested that the mechanic village be moved to a spacious and safer location.
She added that the compactness of the mechanic village often causes traffic jam and accidents on Abak Road, Uyo, as mechanics and spare parts dealers sometimes carry out vehicle repairs and spare part sales on the road.
The police also recommended that a conflict and resolution committee be set up at the mechanic village to always resolve conflicts.
Inspector Edrah told the panel that on the 30th of September, 2022, when the incident occured, a distress call was received from an anonymous caller who said there was crisis at the Mechanic Village. According to her, it was the call that prompted the Divisional Police Officer, herself and officers of Tango 07 Patrol Team to quickly move to the scene.
Upon arriving, "one Douglas Ime Udo was seen with injury, then we moved to Voco Hotel, Atan Road off Abak Road, Uyo where alleged offender, one Nwankwo Samuel Ugochukwu was picked up by the DPO and Tango 07 Patrol Team. They were both brought to the Station, C' Division."
"In the station, a case of assault and possession of arms was alleged by Douglas Ime Udo. His statement was recorded voluntarily and photograph taken of him. A photographer was invited and he took photograph of the victim. The victim was issued with a medical form duly signed and stamped for proper medical intervention and also to get a doctor's report. I was supposed to take the victim to police hospital for doctors report and treatment but the victim bluntly refused to go with me to police hospital. His boss, Chief Etop John James, who came along with him said he has his own private doctor that will take care of the victim and also issue medical report. Furthermore, his statement was taken. I then released him to Chief Etop John James.
"Furthermore statement was recorded from the chairman of the mechanic village union in the person of Ekanem Okon Etuk. The statement was recorded by the police. Statement was also recorded by the police from the suspect, Nwankwo Samuel Ugochukwu.
"The suspect was later detained in police cell accordingly. The scene of crime was visited by the police made up of DPO, the DCO and I, the investigating police officer. At the scene, we went round and saw where refuse purportedly gathered by the victim was about to be set on fire when an altercation ensued between him and the suspects which resulted to an unlawful assault of the victim by the suspect thereby leading to an injury on the left eyebrow.
"In the investigation that we carried out, findings were made. The incident that the crisis started between one Douglas Ime Udo, and Nwankwo Samuel Ugochukwu. That this incident was as a result of one trying to burn refuse and the suspect preventing him from doing so. We also gathered that it took place outside the mechanic village by the roadside along Abak Road, that it was as a result of this that led to the crisis," Edrah narrated at the hearing.
Chairman of the Mechanic Village, Mr Ekanem Okon Etuk, told the panel that a certain man called 'Topman' called him on phone to inform him that there is a problem at mechanic village.
"I immediately had to call the control room of the police. As I walked down to where the incident happened, I saw a lot of boys were running into mechanic village; they were unknown faces. I took Douglas to C' Division and I made a report. And that is when I asked that boy to make a statement to the police."
The chairman also told the panel that 14 set of car battery were looted but later found and returned to one 'Owo Okut Owo' who came to claim the items.
He thanked the police for reacting swiftly to the distress call but refuted claim that there is poor relationship with the police.
"In the past one year that I have been in office, I have a good relationship with the police," he said.
Vice Chairman 1, Fabian Nwafor Okpo, an automobile dealer, as appeared before the Panel.
He suggested that the spare part dealers and technicians be made to operate at different locations.
Douglas, the injured victim, narrated that on the fateful day he resumed work as usual, swept the workshop, gathered the refuse and took same to the location it is always burnt. He said he was accosted at that point by Nwankwo Samuel Ugochukwu aka 'The Boy Is Good.'
He narrated thus: "I told him that the location is always where refuse is burnt. He kicked against and scattered the refuse I gathered. I gathered it again, he still scattered it. He scattered it again the third, and we started arguing again before he stabbed my left eye area with screw driver, so I fell and lost consciousness. When I regained consciousness, I saw that I was soaked with water poured on me to revive me. I told the chairman that I was feeling dizzy, that I be taken to hospital but I was taken to the police station first where I made a statement. From the station, my boss took me to hospital. I am yet to be discharged."
The suspect, Nwankwo Samuel Ugochukwu aka 'The Boy Is Good' however denied stabbing Douglas, saying he rather punched him with his hands.
"'As we were arguing, he said that I'm not from Akwa Ibom, that if I touch him, I will regret. I gave him my reason why I don't want him to burn the refuse. He then hit me with a vehicle headlamp. He said I should not touch the refuse. When I tried to gather those refuse again, he then use sharp object on my head, then I then punched him with this my right hand. Then he was screaming "my eyes o, my eyes o." Some mechanics started beating me, took away my money, some items that I bought they took it away. They were after my life, I had to run for my dear life. I ran to Voco Hotel in Atan Offot, they still ran after me, then I hid by the staircase. They searched all the rooms in the hotel but they didn't see me, they were saying that I had vanished. Then somebody that saw me there came out and called the management of the hotel. When the management of the Voco Hotel saw me in my condition, he sympathized with me and took me to a room and locked me up in that room for my safety.
I now told him that, that was not enough for my safety, that he should help me and call the police first to come for my rescue, so he called the police and then they came for my rescue and rescued me to their 'C Division' at Aka Etinan. I made statement there and has been detained since then."
He said he has two shops, that the tent adjacent where the refuse was to be burnt was rented by over 40 persons who operate under it at the mechanic village.
In his testimony, Mr Etop John James said he was called on phone that Douglas was stabbed in the eye.
"I rushed from my village to the police station, I saw Douglas who was very weak. I took him to eat, I took him from the police.
"That tent is owned by me, I rented it to Ejike Okolie who later brought in over 40 boys. Those boys are fond of fighting. I have reported them severally to the police even before this incident took place. I stand here to say that I don't want them again," he noted.
Chairman of the panel, Barr Victor Akpan commended all parties for honouring the invitation of the panel. He reiterated that the panel would adhere to fairness in its conduct.
The proceedings of the Panel ended about 7:30pm and adjourned for today, Tuesday, October 11, 2022, for continuation of hearing.
Barr Edem Nsa serves as secretary of the panel, while Eteidung Idongesit Alfred Ekong, village head of Atan Offot; Hon. Kufre Mendie; Mr. Patrick Albert; Lady Udeme Emmanuel Ekpe; OC, Department of State Services (DSS), Uyo LGA; Divisional Police Officer (DPO) – C’ Division, Nigeria Police, Uyo; and Chairman, Nigeria Automobile Technicians Association (NATA), Akwa Ibom State Council, representatives of Civil Liberty Organization and the Spare parts Dealers all serve as members.
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