…Demand Her Immediate Release
By Anietie Akpan
Mass protest is imminent in Eket, Eket Local Government Area (LGA) of Akwa Ibom State on Monday, January 19, as Ekid Women have threatened to go naked following the arrest and detention of a social critic and one of her daughters, Princess God’sown Udoito.
Accordingly, they have called for her immediate release.
Princess Udoito who hails from Ekpene Obo in Esit Eket LGA of the state was arrested last week by the police for criticizing policies and actions of government especially demanding government to come clear on the issue of the disputed Stubb Creek Forest Reserve (Akoiyak as known by the Ekid people from time immemorial).
Among other things, Princess Udoito was arrested for questioning the Governor’s alleged sale of Ekid ancestral land without the consent of the Ekid people.
The state government had recently, through it’s Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Barr. Uko Udom, SAN declared that the Stubb Creek does not belong to any community but an exclusive government reserve.
This position by government and the subsequent arrest of Udoito, has sparked off condemnation from far and wide and Pillar Today gathered that the Ekid people will embark on “a mass protest tomorrow in Eket for the release of our beloved sister, Princess God’sown Udoito and as a community she hails from, we are also expected to be part of it”.
In same vein, Ekid Women are equally threatening mass action over the arrest and detention of Princess Udoito by the police at the said insistence of the state government.
The Ekid Women Wing comprising women from Eket and Esit Eket LGAs, in an unsigned statement, announced “a unanimous decision to boycott political activities until Governor Umo Eno releases Princess God’sown Udoito from prison”.
In a strongly-worded statement, the women, including traditional leaders and politicians, accused Governor Eno of suppressing their freedom of speech and withdrew their support for his second term bid.
They vowed “to boycott all government activities, including political rallies, and warned that failure to release Princess Udoito within a week would lead to escalated protests”.
They urged him to “unconditionally release our daughter, Princess Udoito…If he fails to do so, we will be left with no option but to occupy his hotel in Eket-Oron road, Eket, and appear naked in protest.”
The women accused Governor Eno of trying to intimidate them and vowed to fight for their rights. “For Governor Eno to suppress our freedom of speech is an indication that he doesn’t want our support, and we won’t demonstrate cowardice,” they said.
The Ekid Women Wing’s threat of mass action has added to the growing tension between the Governor and the Ekid people, who have long accused him of ignoring their concerns and selling their ancestral land without consent.
A Concerned Ekid Voice who remained anonymous, in “An Open Letter to the People of Ekid, Esit Eket, and the Government of Akwa Ibom State, said , “the arrest of Princess God’sown Udoito has intensified public anxiety and raised serious questions about the direction of governance, civil liberties, and the treatment of dissenting voices in Akwa Ibom State.
“For many, this incident has become a painful symbol of a wider problem: a growing disconnect between government actions and the genuine interests of the people”.
Making reference to History, the open letter said, “the Aba Women’s Riot remains a defining moment in Nigerian history—not as an act of violence, but as a courageous stand against unjust and blind policies. It reminds us that when voices are ignored, lawful resistance and civic awakening inevitably follow.
“The Ekid people are not enemies of government. We are stakeholders in the destiny of this state. Our demand is simple: fairness, inclusion, justice, and respect for our collective identity and future.
“I therefore call on the government to act with transparency and restraint, Community leaders to rise above fear and speak truth,?Ekid women and youths to remain vigilant, united, and peaceful.
“All citizens to engage constructively, lawfully, and courageously. This is not a call to violence. It is a call to conscience”.
