Truth Revealed: Akwa Ibom Family Dismisses Viral Organ Theft Claims Involving Akpabio

The family of late Iniubong Umoren has strongly denied claims that their daughter was murdered for organ harvesting purposes. Iniubong, a 26-year-old philosophy graduate from the University of Uyo, was killed on April 29, 2021, by Uduak Abasi Akpan under the pretense of offering her a job at his father’s home in Uruan LGA, Akwa Ibom State.

Akpan was later found guilty of rape and murder by the Akwa Ibom State High Court (charge no: HU/87C/2021) and sentenced to death by hanging on August 4, 2022.

Recently, a UK-based activist, Sandra Duru (aka Professor Mgbeke), alleged in a Facebook Live session that Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan offered her ₦200 million to falsely accuse Senate President Godswill Akpabio of organ harvesting. While Natasha denied the accusation, the deceased’s sister, Ifiok Umoren, publicly refuted the organ harvesting claims, affirming that all of Iniubong’s organs were intact during the autopsy and burial.

“If anyone is alleging organ harvesting, did they exhume and check her body? I was present at the autopsy, and all her organs were there,” she stated during a press briefing in Uyo.

She recounted how Iniubong went missing after heading out for a job interview and was later confirmed dead at the morgue. The autopsy was conducted at the University of Uyo Teaching Hospital in the presence of the police and herself.

The State Director of Public Prosecution, Friday Itim, who led the prosecution, also debunked the organ harvesting narrative. He clarified that Uduak Abasi killed Iniubong after a failed attempt to coerce her into unprotected sex. After the murder, he buried her in a shallow grave, which he tried to conceal.

“The prosecution presented 10 witnesses. Uduak Abasi acted alone. Linking Senator Akpabio to this heinous act is baseless and untrue,” Itim concluded.