KEY POINTS
- A former ExxonMobil contract worker, Essien James, died after a fight in a beer parlour in Eket, Akwa Ibom state.
- Police have arrested a suspect, Lawrence Alfred, who allegedly struck James with a stone during the altercation.
- An investigation is ongoing to determine the exact cause of death, with the suspect having initially fled the scene before capture.
A former contract staff member of the oil giant ExxonMobil James Essien has died from injuries sustained during a physical fight in Eket, Akwa Ibom state.
The police command confirmed the death of Essien James, which occurred following a reported altercation with another individual, Lawrence Alfred, on the sixth of December.
State Commissioner of Police Baba Azare addressed journalists on Saturday, revealing that the incident was formally reported to the police by the family of the deceased two days after the fight.
Azare confirmed that a suspect is now in custody and that a full investigation is underway to establish the precise circumstances that led to James’s death. The confirmation brings a tragic end to an incident that began as a dispute in a local drinking establishment.
Suspect in Custody as Police Probe Fatal Confrontation
According to a source within the deceased’s family who spoke anonymously, the confrontation unfolded in a beer parlour where both men had been drinking. An argument escalated into a physical fight, during which the suspect allegedly pushed James to the ground and struck his head with a stone. The injured man was rushed to a hospital but was pronounced dead by attending medical personnel.
The family source added that the alleged perpetrator fled the immediate area following the incident, seeking refuge in neighbouring Onna Local Government Area before police tracked him down and made an arrest. The community in Eket, a major hub for the state’s oil and gas industry, has been unsettled by the violent death, which highlights tensions that can surface in the region heavily influenced by the lucrative yet often contentious petroleum sector.
The police have not released further details regarding the motive for the initial argument or the specific charges the suspect may face pending the outcome of their investigation. The case underscores the ongoing challenges law enforcement faces in addressing isolated violent crimes that result in fatal outcomes, even as the state continues to position itself as a central player in Nigeria’s energy economy.
