UYO, NIGERIA — The Akwa Ibom State Police Command has arrested four suspects in connection with the alleged vandalism of a Seplat Energy facility in Mkpanak Village, Ibeno Local Government Area, even as community leaders dispute the police account and accuse officers of opening fire on peaceful protesters .
The Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Timfon John, confirmed the arrests in a statement issued on Sunday, March 15, 2026 . According to the police, the incident occurred on March 11, 2026, at about 12:00 noon when the command received a distress call from the company’s security control room .
The company reported that a group of youths, allegedly led by one James Eshiet, had vandalized and maliciously damaged the company’s signpost and were attempting to forcefully gain access to the facility with the intention of destroying other critical installations .
Police operatives mobilized to the scene discovered that the signpost had already been pulled down and destroyed. The hoodlums, numbering about 25, violently resisted arrest and attempted to obstruct police operations .
Through a coordinated tactical response, the police arrested four suspects: Prince Afaiko, 48; Emmanuel Okpolo, 36; Daniel Christopher, 32; and Effiong Effiong, 39, all from Mkpanak Village . The police surveillance team is currently tracking the alleged ringleader and other fleeing members of the group .
Community Disputes Police Account
However, the Secretary of the Ibeno Clan Council, Chief Udofia Okon Udofia, has disputed the police account, insisting the incident followed a peaceful protest . He said the confrontation arose after Ibeno youths protested over the alleged removal of the community’s name from the company’s signpost following the rebranding of Mobil Producing Nigeria Unlimited to Seplat Energy Producing Nigeria Unlimited .
Seplat had completed the acquisition of assets belonging to Mobil Producing Nigeria Unlimited in December 2024 . According to Udofia, a new signpost installed by the company reportedly excluded the name “Ibeno,” which had appeared on the previous sign welcoming visitors to the facility .
Udofia alleged that police officers opened fire on the unarmed protesters, leaving one youth injured while four others were arrested and taken to the State Police Headquarters in Uyo . He further claimed that attempts by the Paramount Ruler of Ibeno, HRM Ovong Achianga, to intervene and mediate were rejected by the Divisional Police Officer .
“For decades, Ibeno youths have cooperated with oil companies and provided a peaceful environment for their operations. The claim that they are troublemakers is unfounded,” Udofia said .
Police Warn Against Self-Help
The Commissioner of Police, Baba Mohammed Azare, strongly condemned the act of vandalism and criminal intimidation directed at corporate facilities operating within the state . He reiterated that no individual or group has the right to resort to self-help, violence, or destruction of property under any guise whatsoever .
The command warned members of the public, particularly youth groups, to desist from taking the law into their own hands, urging them to channel grievances through lawful and peaceful means . The police assured residents and investors of their commitment to protecting lives and property and providing a secure environment for businesses to operate across the state .
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