Ikot Ansa Community Debunks Involvement In Alleged Disappearance of Prominent Son, Omin

Ekpenyong EKPENYONG 

The palace of the Ntoe and Clan Head of Nkonib, Ikot Ansa Qua Clan has denied involvement in the disappearance of one of their sons, Ntufam Maurice Iso. 

The Palace said they were rather taken aback, like any other person, on getting wind that Ntufam Maurice Iso was allegedly kidnapped or abducted or disappeared or arrested.

They added that it was rather more troublesome to read in some online publications that he was whisked away on his way back from a court case with the government on December 21, 2024.

Speaking on behalf of the Palace, Ntufam Francis Okon Effiom, the assistant secretary, said trouble started in the community following the ceding of part of part of their land to Cross River state government for the development of a modern estate.

 Going back memory lane, Effiom said following the acquisition of the land by government, the clan had directed the youths to work with the community surveyor within an area of land that was acquired from the community referred to as the Summit Hills Estate development and possibly work out modalities to ensure the community is fully compensated. 

According to him, the acquisition led to series of litigations and subsequent consent judgment that was entered into between the government and the community in which the government accepted that the process of acquisition was flawed in a way.

In the light of the above, about 23 hectres of the land were given back to the community in lieu of compensation in addition to 29 hectares based on consent judgment.

Explaining that the several litigations were done in representative capacity with which Ntufam Francis Okon Effiom, Maurice Iso, Ntufam Felix Iso involved there in, Effiom said those cases are always for an on behalf of the community and on a representative capacity.

Narrating he said: 'Following that, consent judgment was entered on behalf of the community and not on an individual or a set of individuals. Later, the state government directed the Attorney General to formally hand over the land to the community as per the consent judgment . 

"So arising, therefrom, the community engaged some surveyors to go and survey the land, on getting there to our utter shock and amazement hoodlums, thugs with matches and guns, the youths were accosted by thugs inside the estate and one person particularly was abducted kidnapped in the person of Felix Iso junior was given some machete cuts and taken away.

"So, we had to immediately put a call across to the anti cultism and kidnapping department who responded and a search was conducted inside the place. 

"In the course of that search, the people having now realised that the police was on their trail went into communication with somebody who Felix Iso junior identified as Ntufam Maurice Omin Iso because he heard the voice clearly.

"Ntufam was said to have asked the hoodlums on phone to describe the victim and after that said they should leave him as he is the son of the secretary and that's how they abandoned him and ran away."

Explaining further, " the police went and saw him where they left him and rescued him and took him to the police clinic and there is an official police report showing laceration, machete cuts, serious injury on his body. 

"So, if the police had not intervened, at that period, it is most probably they would have killed him. The other ones they took their phones. So, we now reported the matter officially to the AIG Zone six who instructed that an investigation be carried out. 

"A day was fixed for interview for both parties, which was on December 23, 2024. On that day, the community representatives and Ntufam Maurice Omin Iso were there, we were also there. We had that interview at the zone 6 headquarters.

 "During the interview, Maurice accepted that he was not in town but he was called and told that they have abducted Felix Iso and told them to release him, he did not deny it.

"So the Investigating Police Officer (IPO) said he wants to see the person who spoke with you and gave you the information that Felix was abducted or kidnapped. They asked him. Omin, if he can you bring the person the next day and he said on Friday. So this was on the December 23. So we were surprised to hear that Maurice was abducted on the December 21 . So that in itself creates suspicion and doubt in our minds as a people.

"How could somebody be in an interview on the 23rd and they are reporting that he was abducted on the 21st. Of course, it means he was abducted and he attended the interview from the point of his abduction and then after the interview he returned back there. 

"That's the simple logic and explanation of this timeline so that was where we were. So, as a result of his disappearance the report of Felix's kidnapping cannot proceed because the police said they cannot reach him right now his phones are off so that is the position as far as the timeline is concerned on that matter."

"So, as far as we, in the community are concerned, we don't know about him. The last encounter we had with him was when we went to the police with him on the 23rd of December 2024 after that we have not heard and don't know what has become of him.

'We don't know whether he is the one pulling the stunts or whether the incident is real," he stated.