Governor ENO denies ordering withdrawal of his predecessor’s security detail

Monday, October 6, 2025 - The Akwa Ibom State Government has denied reports alleging that Governor Umo Eno ordered the withdrawal of security personnel attached to his predecessor, Udom Emmanuel.

Commissioner for Information, Aniekan Umanah, described the reports as false and misleading, insisting that the deployment or withdrawal of police officers does not fall within the powers of any governor.

Emmanuel’s Special Assistant, Steve Abia, confirmed to The PUNCH that the policemen attached to his principal had indeed been withdrawn, though he could not ascertain who gave the directive.

“The reality on the ground is that if you go to the ex-governor’s residence right now, there are no police security men — that’s the truth,” Abia said. “But who withdrew them, I cannot say.”

Speaking with Government House correspondents in Uyo on Sunday, the Commissioner for Information, Umanah said Eno had no hand in the withdrawal of Emmanuel’s security details.

He said, “The deployment, reassignment, or withdrawal of police officers is the exclusive responsibility of the Inspector-General of Police and the Commissioner of Police in each state, not the duty of any governor.

“I can tell you on good authority that Governor Umo Eno did not issue any directive to withdraw security operatives from the immediate past governor,” he clarified.

The commissioner added that all former governors of Akwa Ibom State continue to enjoy their security details as approved by law.

“To the best of our knowledge, there has been no complaint or report from any former governor or their media aides about the withdrawal of security personnel. The rumour exists only in the imagination of those peddling it,” Umanah said.

He urged members of the public to disregard what he called “baseless propaganda,” stressing that Governor Eno remains focused on promoting peace, unity, and good governance across the state.

Emmanuel, who played a key role in Eno’s emergence as governor under the Peoples Democratic Party in 2023, is regarded as his political mentor.

However, their relationship is believed to have strained in recent months following Eno’s reported defection to the All Progressives Congress.