Indigenes of Midim Atan community in Essien Udim Local Government Area of Akwa Ibom State who escaped attacks from a cult group have called on Federal Government and other bodies to restore security in the area.

Addressing newsmen in Abuja on Saturday, Victor Udom and Ubong Okon Udoh said apart from several deaths caused by the activities of the group known as Akwa Marine, many families have relocated from the community.

They called for the overhaul of security in the area as the Nigeria Police, other security and government agencies appear to lack the will to tackle the menace, which is now assuming terrorism dimensions with the killing of the community's amnesty committee chairman, Monday Udoh Ekanem in his home on August 11, 2017.

“Lives are lost, people are going on exile. In fact there is security breakdown in Midim community as I am talking with you,” Udom said.

“If you talk about presence of security agencies, we have a police formation in Essien Udim, and we have an Area Command Headquarters in Ikot Ekpene, which is not up to five or 10 kilometres from Midim. They need to take proactive action on sensitive information,” he added.

Ubong Okon Udoh, who was nearly lynched by the gang but escaped to Abuja, accused highly placed individuals in the state of being behind the cult group.

“My brother and others are no longer in the community. Even the chief of the community and everybody is on exile. Since I ran on the 12th of December, this is the only shirt I have on me, I did not pick anything from my house,” he said.

•Text courtesy of Daily Trust.