Ini Ekpo, counsel to Apostle Akan Weeks, the General Overseer of Reigners Bible Church, which collapsed on 10th December last year, killing scores of worshippers, was on Thursday morning, shot by unidentified gunmen at his residence in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State.

It was learnt that the gunmen gained entrance into his house through the main gate around 2:27am and advanced to his room where they shot him twice on his two legs before they made away with four laptops.

A family source, who did not want to be named, told Punch that the assailants accused Ekpo of being responsible for the lies Weeks told the commission.

According to the source, the gunmen claimed that Weeks had never told lies, and that the drama that
was seen in the Commission of Inquiry was purely the handiwork of Ekpo.

Ekpo is said to be recuperating in an undisclosed private hospital where he is receiving care.

The state chairman, Nigerian Bar Association, Mr. Aniekan Akpan, confirmed the incident. He said Ekpo was shot last night around 2am on his two legs.

Akpan stated that he just returned from the hospital where Ekpo was receiving treatment.

The NBA chairman added that the police were investigating the matter to determine whether the attack was an assassination attempt or armed robbery.
“I am just from the hospital now, where Ekpo is receiving treatment. The police are working on it to unravel the determine whether the attack,” he said.
The Police Public Relations Officer in the state, Cordelia Nwawe, said she had not been informed of the incident and therefore could not confirm what she did not have knowledge of.

Ekpo was the lead counsel for Weeks during the Commission of Inquiry set up by the state government to determine the immediate and remote cause of the collapsed Reigners’ Bible Church building in Uyo Village Road on December 10, 2016.

He had defended his client up to the extent of seeking compensation for Weeks.

The collapsed building killed scores of worshippers and injured hundreds.