By Praise Afolabi
Police in Akwa Ibom State have arrested a village head, Chief Friday Jonah Umoren of Ibagwa, Abak Local Government Area, for allegedly shooting his sister during a dispute.
According to the State Command’s spokesperson, DSP Timfon John, the incident occurred on September 6, 2025, around 2:30 p.m. A complainant reported that Umoren allegedly shot his 32-year-old sister, Unwana Effiong Friday Inyang, in the head with a long, single-barrel gun.
The victim was rushed to hospital, where doctors confirmed she is in stable condition. Police operatives recovered the firearm said to have been used in the attack and took the suspect into custody. Preliminary investigations point to a quarrel over palm fruits as the trigger for the violent confrontation.
The case comes amid a growing pattern of land and crop-related disputes in rural communities across Akwa Ibom. Such conflicts, often involving palm produce, farmland boundaries, or inheritance issues, have been known to escalate into violence, straining family ties and communal peace.
Traditional leaders, who are usually custodians of reconciliation, have in some instances been drawn directly into these disputes, worsening tensions.
Police say further investigations are ongoing, while urging communities to resolve disputes through dialogue and legal channels to avoid a recurrence of such incidents.
