The family of late Monday Raphael Isek has accused a farmer, Ubi Ikpi Ofem, of orchestrating the murder of their son over a cocoa farm dispute in Etung Local Government Area of Cross River State. The young widow, Christiana Monday Isek, has called on the Inspector General of Police (IGP), Kayode Egbetokun, and the wife of the governor, Bishop Eyoanwan Otu, to intervene and ensure justice NEGROIDHAVEN has garnered.
Speaking to reporters on Thursday, November 29, Mrs. Isek narrated the tragic events of September 26, 2024. She explained that her husband had gone to work on their cocoa farm, located in Block 2D/66 of the Cross River State-owned Ikom Cocoa Estate, but never returned. Repeated calls to his phone were answered by a police officer, who initially claimed her husband had been arrested.
“I went to the Ikom Area Command, where I was directed to check the notice board. When I found no record of my husband’s arrest, I returned the next day with my in-laws. It was then the officer informed me that my husband was dead,” she recounted.
Mrs. Isek said the officer took them to the mortuary, where she identified her husband’s corpse. According to her, Mr. Ofem and his accomplices allegedly tied her husband, beat him with machetes, and later transported his body to the mortuary without notifying the family.
The grieving widow further alleged that Mr. Ofem sent a representative, identified as Bishop Collins Ogar, to offer her family ₦400,000 as compensation and to drop the case. “They told us to use the money to bury my husband and claim that it was his farm group that killed him. We refused,” she said.
In her plea for justice, Mrs. Isek expressed frustration over the handling of the case by the Cross River State Police Command. She accused the Commissioner of Police, CP Gyogon Augustine Grimah, of dismissing her initial complaints. “When I tried to explain my ordeal, the Commissioner walked me out,” she alleged.
The deceased’s father, Raphael Isek, corroborated the widow’s account, stating that he witnessed the assault on his son. “They tied him and beat him with machetes. When they realized I was there, I fled and hid. I saw Ubi carry my son, who was already lifeless, in a vehicle and take him to the mortuary,” he said.
Raphael also alleged previous threats and an assault by Mr. Ofem on him and his elder son, Daniel. Despite reporting the matter to the police, no action was taken, and Mr. Ofem allegedly continued to walk free.
The widow, now left with three children, called on the IGP to take over the investigation, fearing that justice may be denied. “I have become a widow at a young age, and my children’s future hangs in the balance. All I want is justice for my husband,” she pleaded.
When contacted, Mr. Ofem denied the allegations, stating, “I am very, very innocent.” His lawyer, Barr. Sunny Mgbe, also refrained from commenting, citing an ongoing investigation. Efforts to reach the Cross River Police spokesperson for updates on the case were unsuccessful.
The alleged murder is the latest in a series of conflicts surrounding ownership and control of the government-owned cocoa farms in Etung, an issue that has persisted for years. Observers have called for urgent intervention to prevent further violence and ensure justice for victims.
