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 during a coordinated raid on suspected criminal hideouts in the three local government areas in the early hours of Wednesday.
The police also recovered two single-barrel shotguns, three laptops, a suspected stolen motorcycle, charms and other fetish materials during the operation.
The command’s spokesperson, DSP Timfon John, disclosed this in a statement issued in Uyo on Thursday.
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According to John, the arrests followed sustained intelligence gathering on a gang allegedly linked to a series of armed robberies and motorcycle thefts across the affected communities.
The suspects were identified as Peter Sabbath, 34; Joseph Udo, 25; Victor Igwe, 23; Boniface Essiet, 37; Simeon Udo, 47; and Uko Akang.
The police alleged that Igwe specialised in producing fake receipts used to facilitate the sale of stolen motorcycles.
Essiet, described by the command as a native doctor, was also accused of providing charms and other fetish materials to members of the gang.
The police said Akang was arrested with a red Qlink motorcycle with registration number AUQ 73 VC, which was suspected to have been stolen.
The statement said, “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.”
It added that the arrests were made during a “coordinated clearance operation” at identified criminal hideouts across the three local government areas.
The command said additional items recovered from the suspects included local charms and other fetish materials found at the shrine of the suspected native doctor.
The six suspects are currently being investigated as the police intensify efforts to uncover other members and associates allegedly linked to the criminal network.
The Commissioner of Police, Baba Mohammed Azare, said the command would sustain its operations against criminal groups 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.
