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Police escorts recalled from Udom Emmanuel’s residences
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Government denies involvement, blames “false media reports”
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PDP group alleges political witch-hunt, links move to Umo Eno’s defection to APC
There is growing tension in Akwa Ibom State following the withdrawal of security details attached to the immediate past governor, Mr Udom Emmanuel, over the weekend.
Reliable sources confirmed that police officers attached to Emmanuel’s two residences in the state have been recalled, leaving both homes without any visible security presence.
The development has triggered mixed reactions across political circles, with some residents accusing the All Progressives Congress (APC)-led state government of using the move to pressure Emmanuel into joining the party, while others see it as evidence of a fractured relationship between Governor Umo Eno and his predecessor.
Mr Emmanuel, who served as governor from 2015 to 2023, is widely regarded as the political mentor of Governor Umo Eno, having played a key role in his emergence under the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) platform. However, the relationship reportedly deteriorated after Eno’s defection to the APC earlier this year.
Government Denies Role
In a swift response, the Commissioner for Information, Mr Aniekan Umana, dismissed reports linking the government to the security withdrawal.
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“The deployment, reassignment, or withdrawal of police officers is the exclusive responsibility of the Inspector-General of Police and the Commissioner of Police in each state, not the duty of any governor.
“The Governor did not issue any directive to withdraw security operatives from the immediate past governor,”Umana said.
He maintained that all former governors of Akwa Ibom State remain entitled to their approved security details, insisting that no such complaint had been received officially.
Ex-Governor’s Camp Confirms Withdrawal
Contrary to the government’s denial, Barrister Steve Abia, Special Assistant to the former governor, confirmed that the policemen attached to Emmanuel’s homes had indeed been withdrawn.
“The reality on ground is that there are no police security men at the former governor’s residences that is the truth,” Abia told newsmen.
PDP Group Alleges Political Motive
A pro-PDP group, PDP Advocates for Peace and Justice, has condemned the incident, describing it as “a politically motivated act designed to weaken the PDP in Akwa Ibom.”
Its chairman, Dr Tom FredFish, said the move was “a clear sign that all is not well between Governor Eno and his political godfather.”
“It’s a pity that politics has been played to this extent. All this is just to kill the PDP and pocket the state.
“But it will not work. PDP is not anybody’s personal property in Akwa Ibom,”FredFish said.
