Mounting Outrage Over Murder of Akwa Ibom Job Seeker

Chilling revelations and growing outrage have trailed the tragic death of IniUbong Umoren, a job seeker lured to a purported job interview by an alleged serial rapist. Yinka Olatunbosun reports.

Ini-Ubong Umoren, 26, a philosophy graduate from the University of Uyo, Akwa Ibom needed a job so badly. She had been marketing skin care products while awaiting her letter of deployment to proceed for the one-year mandatory National Youth Service Corp Programme. Her friend, Umoh Uduak had just moved to Lagos earlier that week to start a job. After making a post on Twitter seeking for a job, she was reached by a stranger who would later invite her for an interview. On Thursday April 29, while chatting with Uduak, Ini-Ubong revealed why she didn’t want to go for the interview.

“She said she didn’t have money,’’ Uduak recalled in a televised interview. “So, I sent her N2000 and told her that before leaving she should tell someone around her where she was going. She said she was going to forward the phone number of the person that invited her for the interview to her sister so that she won’t get lost. She said it jokingly.’’

When Ini-Ubong sent another message regarding the long distant to her destination, her friend advised her to return home but then it was too late. She had arrived at the uncompleted building. At about 4:16pm, Ini-Ubong attempted to send a video to her Uduak who promptly called back. Agonising screams came from the other side of the line that jolted Uduak’s senses. Frustrated after futile efforts to reach her, she reached out to someone who knew Iniubong’s sister, Ifiok Umoren who took immediate action upon the knowledge. She reported the case at a police station. The police asked her to wait for 24-hours before a search party would be launched. There is a general misconception that a person must be absent for at least 24hours before being legally classed as missing. Perhaps, this should not be the case in a suspected criminal abduction matter.

Still, Ifiok returned the next day at 8:30am and the police reportedly asked her to hire a van and fuel it. Umoh, who had raised alarm on the social media rallied for contribution that was sent to Ifiok to assist the police with the investigation. Meanwhile, citizen intervention proved to be very proactive in this investigation. The suspect, named Ezekiel Uduak Akpan had been traced on social media. He had deleted all his social media accounts as soon as the public outrage mounted. By Sunday, May 3, the news of Ini-Ubong’s death has spread like wildfire and was number trend on Twitter.

“Indeed, he assaulted her both sexually and physically and thereafter, he confessed and was able to take us to the shallow grave where he buried her. We were able to exhumed the body. As we speak the body has been deposited at UYOGH. The essence of doing that is so that autopsy can be conducted,’’ Odiko Macdon, the Police Public Relations Officer, Akwa Ibom State revealed in a press briefing.

The outpouring of sympathy was no match to the outrage that followed. The Hashtag JusticeforHinnyUmoren was raging on. Top celebrities and politicians joined the movement. For instance, the former Vice-President and Presidential Aspirant, Atiku Abubakar tweeted: “Over the past two days, I saw how Ini-Ubong Umoren united Nigerians in a way that was admirable, yet tragic. This is heart-rending.’’

Following the rumours that the suspect may have some political affiliations, the Chairman, Uruan Local government, Iniobong Ekpenyong had promptly released a press statement debunking any report of being contacted by Uduak Friday Akpan or listening to any confession from him.

Protesters in Uruan local government had destroyed and attempted to razed down the building at the crime scene. According to reports, the suspect allegedly carried out the criminal act alongside his family members and there are fears that the Umoren family may not get justice.

Meanwhile, the social media had been set agog by disturbing images and videos taken from the crime scene at Unung Ikono Ufok, Uruan Local government. In a virtual tour on May 7, posted by a BBCPidgin Correspondent, the reporter described the compound as stinking, with offensive smell. “There are shallow graves everywhere,’’ he said, repeatedly.

Some of the exhibits found in the building include exercise books, certificates, textbooks, mostly female shoes, NYSC boot, a large soakaway with six deep partitions. While it is not clear why the crime scene had not been cordoned off by the police, or the exhibits taken into custody to aid further investigation, IniUbong’s friend, Umoh tweeted: “To speed up the decay process, he would pour acid on his victims’ body after killing them before burying them. Several containers of raw acid were found in the crime scene.’’

She also claimed to have been reached by previous victims who escaped from the suspect but had not reported the matter to the police. She described her late friend as intelligent and hardworking.

“She was an orphan. Sometimes, she didn’t make it to class because she was somewhere teaching. Ini Umoren didn’t keep late nights. She tells me whenever she had to go somewhere,’’ she revealed.

On May 7, the list for the next NYSC batch was finally released with Iniubong toping her department with a CGPA of 4.12, causing more pains and anguish for her friends and family.

The human right community has risen to the call for justice for Ini-Ubong. Students of the deceased’s alma mater marched to the government house in Uyo to demand for thorough investigation and speedy trial. Their demand had also compelled members of House of Reps to call on the Inspector General of Police to take over Iniubong Umoren’s murder investigation.

While also reacting to this, an advocate for women’s right and Director, Chief Communication Officer, Red Eye Development Initiative, Ekaette George condemned the cycle of impunity that had emboldened criminals in Nigeria.

“This case is another sad commentary on our social system. First, a young man who has confessed to being a serial rapist, that has successfully targeted young women and sexually assaulted them, was left roaming the streets. He had become so emboldened that he was luring his victims on cyberspace. Secondly, young people are desperate to make positive contributions to society but opportunities are almost non-existent. But what is worse, for young women, the horrors of accessing scarce opportunities are unspeakable. Many who are getting raped, assaulted and harrassed are swallowing hard and moving on albeit broken. Unfortunately, Iniubong was not spared to live and tell. Her family were not given a chance to have their daughter grow and fight -with their support – to survive the extreme blood sport that is being a woman in Nigeria.

“As insecurity worsens in the country, women are paying not just the collective fear but also with their bodies being taken as spoils of war. And some with their lives. No! No young woman should have to suffer these atrocities. We create monsters that will consume us when we condone violence against women. We should all resolve that if we have a neighbor, a friend, a relative, a brother, a son, a husband that we know is a rapist… we will expose them as soon as we know it. Then, we will have saved someone’s life. We must, as a matter of urgency begin to make the rapists uncomfortable rather than victims. There is no reason a woman who has been raped should hesitate to seek help and justice. We should stop assigning blame to victims,’’ she said.