Oil worker dies after beer parlour brawl in Akwa Ibom

The Akwa Ibom State Police Command has confirmed the death of Essien James, a former contract worker with ExxonMobil, following a violent altercation in Eket Local Government Area of the state.

The Commissioner of Police, Baba Azare, disclosed this during an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Saturday in Eket. He said the incident occurred on December 6, when the deceased reportedly got into a fight with one Lawrence Alfred, which later resulted in his death.
According to the police commissioner, the matter was formally reported to the police on December 8 by members of the victim’s family. He added that the suspect has since been arrested and that investigations are ongoing to determine the circumstances surrounding the incident.
However, a family source, who spoke to NAN on condition of anonymity, revealed that the confrontation took place at a beer parlour. The source explained that while both men were drinking, an argument broke out and escalated into a physical fight.
During the scuffle, the suspect allegedly pushed the deceased to the ground and struck his head with a stone. James was rushed to a hospital but was pronounced dead by a doctor on arrival.
The source further stated that the suspect fled to Onna Local Government Area after the incident, where he went into hiding before being apprehended by the police.