A 13-year-old boy identified as Timothy Daniel has been reportedly shot to death while returning from church on New Year’s Day by a soldier attached to Sterling Petrochemical and Fertilizer Company Ltd in Ette, Ikot Abasi Local Government Area of Akwa Ibom State.

An eyewitness, Anthony Akpan, said Timothy was returning from night prayer with his sister, known as Miracle, at Mount Zion Full Gospel Church along Akongntekong Road in Ette community at 12:05 a.m. on 1 January 2026 when the soldier sexually harassed his sister by touching her buttocks.

According to Akpan, the sister of the deceased, Miracle, crossed to the other side of the road to urinate before the soldier, guarding the residence of the former clan head, late HRH Barr. Clement Idemudo – where Chinese expatriates of the petrochemical plant are lodging – followed her and made sexual advances on her.

He said the young girl ignored the soldier, who later got angry and forcefully caressed her, causing Miracle to abuse him as the soldier threatened her.

“The victim, who was waiting for the sister on the other side of the road, joined the sister and cursed the soldier for sexually abusing his sister.

“The soldier threatened them and as they continued to abuse him for touching Miracle’s ‘bombom’, the soldier cocked his rifle and shot at the 13-year-old Timothy, blowing his head open while the boy fell down struggling in the pool of his blood and died on the spot while Miracle escaped.”

Akpan said the soldier ran inside the compound and called his colleagues, who helped him carry the corpse into the expatriates’ lodge.

Akpan said the victim’s sister, who escaped from the scene of the incident, raised the alarm, which attracted everybody in the community.

“The outrage that erupted spoilt the New Year celebration; even the BMW car belonging to a former Adviser to Ikot Abasi Council Chairman on Political Matters, Obong Uyai Udoiwod, was torched as he drove to the scene.”

Akpan decried the spate of killings in the community caused by soldiers guarding the expatriates’ lodge in the area.

“We have lost two youths in less than two years due to army brutality.”

Reacting to the incident, Mboho Ukpum Ette, through the Publicity Secretary, Engr. Patrick Udoma, in a statement, described the incident as an act of terrorism by a government agency.

The statement reads in parts:

“The President General of Mboho Ukpum Ete expresses dissatisfaction on the unprofessional manner the army personnel hired by Sterling Petrochemical unleashed mayhem on the citizens of Ukpum Ette in the murder of her citizen in the early hours of January 1st, 2026, throwing the family and the clan into mourning.

“This act is perceived as terrorism and unaccepted by the people of Ukpum Ette clan.”

The community demands justice and urged relevant authorities to mete out appropriate punishment for the trigger-happy soldier.

When contacted, Army Public Relations Officer, APPRO, 2 Brigade, Mbiokporo in Akwa Ibom State, Captain Lawal Bala Mohamed, confirmed the incident and assured residents that the matter would be handled.

“The incident has been handled by the military police and is already under investigation.” (SUN)

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