..His wife is pregnant,with four other children …Family source

..he was Ex-PDP Chapter Chairman in Odukpani … Security Adviser

Former Chapter Chairman of People’s Democratic Party, PDP, Ekpenyong Akom and an aide to Governor Ben Ayade

By Ike Uchechukwu – Calabar

A former Chapter Chairman of People’s Democratic Party, PDP, Ekpenyong Akom and an aide to Governor Ben Ayade of Cross River State was on Saturday night, shot dead by gunmen in a suspected cult attack in front of his house.

The incident Vanguard learned occurred at about 8 pm on Saturday night at a joint close to the deceased house along Akai Efa in Calabar Municipality LGA of Cross River State.

According to a family source who pleaded anonymity, Akom was playing WHOT(card)with his friends at one of his brother’s joint, simply identified as CY, when the vicious-looking men stormed the place before singling him out and shot him dead.

The source said:” He was playing WHOT( cards) with his friends when the gunmen came in and shot him, and they made sure he was dead(“confirmed him” )before they left in a waiting vehicle, he said.

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Speaking further he revealed that Akom had denounced membership of cult group a long time ago but he wonders why he could be targetted in the recent cult war in Calabar.

The source also said that he was a former Chapter Chairman of PDP in Odukpani LGA and currently an aide to Governor Ben Ayade with a wife who is heavily pregnant and four other children.

When contacted on Sunday, the Cross River Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Irene Ugbo confirmed the killing of the ex_PDP Chapter Chairman to Vanguard on telephone adding that he was shot by gunmen.

“I am aware of the tragic incident but cannot substantiate because we are investigating the matter, but he was killed by gunmen suspected to be cultists.

“I will make available more information about the matter later today when I have been properly briefed, it is a sad development, she said.

On his part, the State Security Adviser to Governor Ayade, South, Mr Ani Esin lamented the rival clash adding that that the incident was unfortunate.

“The victim was a former chapter chairman of PDP in Odukpani, in Odukpani local government area of the State,” Esin said.

Vanguard News Nigeria