Angry youths of Akon-Itam community in Itu local government area of Akwa Ibom State have continued with their protests over the killing of a couple on the Calabar-Itu Highway by the convoy of the senator representing Eket senatorial district (Akwa Ibom South), Senator Akon Iyakeny.
The convoy was returning to Uyo, the state capital from her campaign tour when the incident occurred.
Senator Iyakenyi is the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) deputy governorship candidate and running mate to Pastor Umo Eno, the party’s flag-bearer in the upcoming polls in 2023.
In a chat with newsmen, one of the distraught youths, Comrade Utibe Inyang, said the convoy rammed into the couple on a motorcycle while trying to navigate its way in the ever-busy road which connects neighbouring Calabar, Cross River State.
He said what exacerbated the situation was the handling of the compensation package of a “paltry N2 million” from the senator to the family of the deceased.
Inyang said, “The husband and wife killed by her convoy left behind three young children; so the pains we are still feeling now is because of the disdainful attitude demonstrated by the deputy governorship candidate without considering how these young orphans would be trained and developed without their parents.”
It was gathered that some officials of the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) called to manage traffic at the scene were injured and their patrol vehicle damaged by the local residents, but the corps commander in the state, Mathew Olonisaye, who spoke with our correspondent, said, “only our vehicle was vandalized.” He said the situation had been brought under control and normalcy had returned to the area.
The commissioner of police, Mr Olatoye Durosinmi, said calm had returned to the community following the fruitful negotiation for them to embrace peace.