The Akwa Ibom State Police Command has arrested six suspected members and associates of an armed robbery gang allegedly terrorising residents of Ikono, Ini and Obot Akara Local Government Areas of the state.
The suspects were arrested in the early hours of Wednesday during a raid on suspected criminal hideouts across the three local government areas.
The command’s spokesperson, DSP Timfon John, disclosed this in a statement issued in Uyo on Thursday.
John said the operation followed sustained intelligence gathering on a gang allegedly responsible for a series of armed robberies and motorcycle thefts in the areas.
The suspects were identified as Peter Sabbath, 34; Joseph Udo, 25; Victor Igwe, 23; Boniface Essiet, 37; Simeon Udo, 47; and Uko Akang.
According to the statement, Igwe allegedly specialised in producing fake receipts used to facilitate the sale of stolen motorcycles, while Essiet was alleged to be a native doctor who provided charms and other fetish materials to members of the gang.
Akang was reportedly arrested with a red Qlink motorcycle, registration number AUQ 73 VC, suspected to have been stolen.
The statement read, “The Akwa Ibom State Police Command has recorded another significant breakthrough in its ongoing intelligence-led operations against armed robbery and other violent crimes with the arrest of six suspected members and associates of an armed robbery gang operating within Ikono, Ini and Obot Akara Local Government Areas of the state.
“The arrests were made in the early hours of Wednesday during a coordinated clearance operation conducted by police operatives in identified criminal hideouts within the three Local Government Areas.”
Items recovered from the suspects included two single-barrel shotguns, three laptops, the suspected stolen motorcycle, local charms and other fetish materials recovered from the shrine of the suspected native doctor.
The command said the suspects were being investigated and that efforts were ongoing to identify other members of the alleged criminal network.
The Commissioner of Police, CP Baba Mohammed Azare, said the command would continue operations aimed at disrupting criminal activities across the state.
“The Akwa Ibom State Police Command remains resolute in its determination to deny criminals safe havens and dismantle criminal networks operating within the state.
“The command will continue to adopt proactive and intelligence-driven strategies to identify criminal elements, disrupt their operational networks and bring perpetrators to justice,” he said.
