Hezekiah John Adaiden, the youth president of the Inen clan, was beheaded on Sunday night in the Oruk Anam Local Government Area of Akwa Ibom State by youths thought to be members of a cult.
The incident, according to what was learned, happened at around one in the morning when a group of suspected cultists that the deceased knew paid him a visit and entertained them with drinks before another group attacked him as they were still drinking.
The youth president was captured by the cultists, who then beat him into a coma and severed his head, according to an eyewitness who asked to remain anonymous. His headless body was left in a pool of blood.
Prior to fleeing with her husband’s head, the thugs, he continued, went on to loot the home, carrying away priceless items and pouring the soup that the wife had cooked on her head.
He spoke: “Till now, we can not understand what happened. The cultists arrived at the compound at a very odd hour in the night and since they are known by the youth president, he offered them drinks.
“While they were drinking at about 1 am, another group, well-armed, arrived and were very violent as they dragged the victim to a corner and killed him.
” The most annoying thing is that they beheaded him and escaped with the head after they had tortured his wife and poured the soup which the wife cooked on her head as they beat her mercilessly.”
In response, SP Odiko Macdon, the Akwa Ibom Police Public Relations Officer, called the incident barbaric and said those responsible could not go free.
Olatoye Durosinmi, the commissioner of police for Akwa Ibom State, has reportedly given the Criminal and Investigation Department (CID) the go-ahead to start an investigation, according to Macdon.
“There is an ongoing manhunt in the area to arrest perpetrators of such crime. However, normalcy has been restored in the area. There is peace in the area now. A special squad has been drafted to the area to fish out the criminals. I can assure you that the suspects would be arrested and brought to book,” he said.
