Iniuobong Umoren: Don’t Threaten Me With Lawsuit, David Hundeyin Replies Akpabio

An independent investigative journalist, David Hundeyin, has
warned Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Senator Godswill Akpabio,
not to threaten him with a lawsuit over his findings and
publication on the killing of Miss Iniubong Umoren.

Hundeyin had made series of tweets and other online publications
suggesting Akpabio and his wife played a part in the rape and
eventual death of the 26-year- old Iniuobong Umoren.

Hundeyin further said Davok hotel located at 58, G Unit also
recognised as plot S9,Unit G, Ewet Housing, Estate, Uyo which was
used by the suspect(s) for their nefarious activities is owned by
Akpabio’s wife.

Akpabio in his reaction through his lawyer, Otobong Inyang Esq,
wrote to Hundeyin, demanding retraction of a news publication and
an apology within 14 days failing which he would take legal
action.

Rather than apologise, Hundeyin has asked for authorisation to
Airtel and MTN to release the voice note of the conversation
between the alleged suspects instead of threatening him with
lawsuits, saying such will end up the matter.

In his handle @DavidHundeyin, he tweeted: “Instead of sending
old policemen to fight with me on TV or threatening me with
lawsuits, just authorise Airtel and MTN to release the voice note
of the conversation between Frank Akpan and Kufre Effiong. Very
simple and will end this controversy. No need for plenty talk.”

Akpabio, a former Senate Minority leader, made the demands in a
letter he addressed to the author of the articles via BusinessDay
Media organisation.

The letter signed by the Minister’s lawyer, Otobong Inyang Esq,
dated Wednesday 12 May, 2021, was in response to series of tweets
and other online publications by the author linking him (Akpabio)
and his wife, Unoma Akpabio to have played a part in the rape and
eventual death of Umoren.

In the letter Akpabio claimed the author had made statements
suggesting the hotel located at 58, G Unit, Ewet Housing Estate, is
also recognised as plot S9,Unit G, Ewet Housing, Estate, Uyo, which
the suspect(s) used for their activities, is owned by his wife,
which was not true.

According to Akpabio, the author’s publications give impression
he and his wife were not only complicit in the death of Umoren but
were also members of a syndicate specialising in the procurement,
sale and/or use of human body parts for ritual among others.

The letter reads in part: ” Reporter, Columnist and Writer and
in the said capacity, you issued a purported investigative report
regarding the alleged abduction, rape and murder of one Iniobong
Umoren, the late University of Uyo graduate.

“In the said Report which you published on Your Twitter handle
@DavidHundeyin, Facebook Page/Timeline and on several online news
channels/platforms such as NewsWireNGR of 1l/5/2021, e.t.c., you
alleged that a certain Kufre Effiong was complicit in the alleged
murder and also attempted to portray our clients as being members
of an alleged syndicate responsible for perpetuating the dastardly
act.

“In a paragraph in your said report, you made the statement
thus: “Who exactly is Kufre Effiong? I eventually found the answer
after scrolling through dozens, maybe hundreds of social media
profiles with that name. Mr. Effiong as it turns out, is something
of a big fish in Niger Delta civil service circles.

“After having alleged that subsequent to the abduction, rape and
murder of the deceased, Uduak Akpan met with Kufre Effiong, you
went on to state in another paragraph of your report thus:

“The second possibility is more prosaic, but no less horrific.
Due to the convoluted house numbering system in Uyo, the property
labeled as 58, G Unit, Ewet Housing Estate is also recognized on
most digital maps as Plot S9, Unit G, Ewet Housing Estate.

“That address is also home to Davok Suites, which is a popular
upmarket hotel in Uyo favoured by high profile guests including the
Cameroon national team. This would be the ideal location for a
trusted associate of a politician – say, a senior civil servant –
to lay his head while running a clandestine errand for his
boss.

“An errand such as sourcing human parts for use in a ritual
sacrifice ahead of the upcoming election season, for example.

“Whatever it is that happened or is happening at 58, G Unit,
Ewet Housing Estate – and for whose benefit – is a question only
Kufre Effiong can answer…”

“In one of your Tweets via Twitter handle @DavidHundeyin of 11th
May’ 2021, you published the following statement to the entire
world:

“It has just come to my attention that Davok Suites, the hotel
at the centre of the 58 Unit G/S. 9, Unit G, Ewet Housing Estate
nexus involving Kufre Effiong and Frank uduak is owned by none
other than Ekaette Akpabio, wife of Godswill Akpabio.”

The Minister demanded the retractions and public apology be
published in NewswireNGR, the author’s Twitter Handle, Facebook
Page/Timeline and all other online news/media platforms and
channels he used to publish the publications.

An independent investigative journalist, David Hundeyin, has
warned Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Senator Godswill Akpabio,
not to threaten him with a lawsuit over his findings and
publication on the killing of Miss Iniubong Umoren.

Hundeyin had made series of tweets and other online publications
suggesting Akpabio and his wife played a part in the rape and
eventual death of the 26-year- old Iniuobong Umoren.

Hundeyin further said Davok hotel located at 58, G Unit also
recognised as plot S9,Unit G, Ewet Housing, Estate, Uyo which was
used by the suspect(s) for their nefarious activities is owned by
Akpabio’s wife.

Akpabio in his reaction through his lawyer, Otobong Inyang Esq,
wrote to Hundeyin, demanding retraction of a news publication and
an apology within 14 days failing which he would take legal
action.

Rather than apologise, Hundeyin has asked for authorisation to
Airtel and MTN to release the voice note of the conversation
between the alleged suspects instead of threatening him with
lawsuits, saying such will end up the matter.

In his handle @DavidHundeyin, he tweeted: “Instead of sending
old policemen to fight with me on TV or threatening me with
lawsuits, just authorise Airtel and MTN to release the voice note
of the conversation between Frank Akpan and Kufre Effiong. Very
simple and will end this controversy. No need for plenty talk.”

Akpabio, a former Senate Minority leader, made the demands in a
letter he addressed to the author of the articles via BusinessDay
Media organisation.

The letter signed by the Minister’s lawyer, Otobong Inyang Esq,
dated Wednesday 12 May, 2021, was in response to series of tweets
and other online publications by the author linking him (Akpabio)
and his wife, Unoma Akpabio to have played a part in the rape and
eventual death of Umoren.

In the letter Akpabio claimed the author had made statements
suggesting the hotel located at 58, G Unit, Ewet Housing Estate, is
also recognised as plot S9,Unit G, Ewet Housing, Estate, Uyo, which
the suspect(s) used for their activities, is owned by his wife,
which was not true.

According to Akpabio, the author’s publications give impression
he and his wife were not only complicit in the death of Umoren but
were also members of a syndicate specialising in the procurement,
sale and/or use of human body parts for ritual among others.

The letter reads in part: ” Reporter, Columnist and Writer and
in the said capacity, you issued a purported investigative report
regarding the alleged abduction, rape and murder of one Iniobong
Umoren, the late University of Uyo graduate.

“In the said Report which you published on Your Twitter handle
@DavidHundeyin, Facebook Page/Timeline and on several online news
channels/platforms such as NewsWireNGR of 1l/5/2021, e.t.c., you
alleged that a certain Kufre Effiong was complicit in the alleged
murder and also attempted to portray our clients as being members
of an alleged syndicate responsible for perpetuating the dastardly
act.

“In a paragraph in your said report, you made the statement
thus: “Who exactly is Kufre Effiong? I eventually found the answer
after scrolling through dozens, maybe hundreds of social media
profiles with that name. Mr. Effiong as it turns out, is something
of a big fish in Niger Delta civil service circles.

“After having alleged that subsequent to the abduction, rape and
murder of the deceased, Uduak Akpan met with Kufre Effiong, you
went on to state in another paragraph of your report thus:

“The second possibility is more prosaic, but no less horrific.
Due to the convoluted house numbering system in Uyo, the property
labeled as 58, G Unit, Ewet Housing Estate is also recognized on
most digital maps as Plot S9, Unit G, Ewet Housing Estate.

“That address is also home to Davok Suites, which is a popular
upmarket hotel in Uyo favoured by high profile guests including the
Cameroon national team. This would be the ideal location for a
trusted associate of a politician – say, a senior civil servant –
to lay his head while running a clandestine errand for his
boss.

“An errand such as sourcing human parts for use in a ritual
sacrifice ahead of the upcoming election season, for example.

“Whatever it is that happened or is happening at 58, G Unit,
Ewet Housing Estate – and for whose benefit – is a question only
Kufre Effiong can answer…”

“In one of your Tweets via Twitter handle @DavidHundeyin of 11th
May’ 2021, you published the following statement to the entire
world:

“It has just come to my attention that Davok Suites, the hotel
at the centre of the 58 Unit G/S. 9, Unit G, Ewet Housing Estate
nexus involving Kufre Effiong and Frank uduak is owned by none
other than Ekaette Akpabio, wife of Godswill Akpabio.”

The Minister demanded the retractions and public apology be
published in NewswireNGR, the author’s Twitter Handle, Facebook
Page/Timeline and all other online news/media platforms and
channels he used to publish the publications.