Over 80 repentant militants in Cross River State who have been terrorising the Bakassi–Oron waterways of Cross River and Akwa Ibom States, have voluntarily surrendered.
The militants have equally surrendered assorted arms and ammunition in their possession thus ensuring peace and security along the Cross River-Akwa Ibom waterways.
Among the items surrendered were an expanded GPMG, AK-47 ammunition, a pistol, several locally fabricated rifles with their cartridges, as well as cutlasses.
The state Police Public Relations Officer, ASP Sunday Eitokpah, who disclosed this to journalists in Calabar, said the command in collaboration with the Cross River State government, recorded the major breakthrough in its ongoing arms mop-up initiative through the adoption of a non-kinetic approach.
He said the remarkable development was achieved, following an operation coordinated under ‘Operation Okwok’, adding that “the individuals embraced the Cross River State government’s amnesty programme, opting for peace and reintegration over criminality.
“The feat underscores the effectiveness of the command’s strategy of dialogue, strategic engagement, confidence-building, and intelligence-led operations.”
The repentant militants, according to him, have openly renounced violence and expressed their readiness to be rehabilitated and fully reintegrated into society as law-abiding citizens, further validating the command’s commitment to people-oriented and intelligence-driven policing.
“This development reinforces the Nigeria Police Force broader shift toward non-kinetic policing strategies, which prioritise prevention, persuasion, negotiation, and community collaboration as critical tools for addressing security challenges and achieving sustainable peace,” .Eitokpah added.
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He added that the state Commissioner of Police, Rashid Afegbua, has commended the state government for its unwavering support and collaboration.
ASP Eitokpa reassured residents of the command’s resolve to consolidate the gains and sustain proactive measures, aimed at ensuring the safety and security of lives and property across the state.
He encouraged the public to continue cooperating with the police by providing timely and credible information to support ongoing security operations.
The police spokesperson said all the recovered arms and ammunition are being handled strictly in line with established police procedures, while the repentant militants are being guided through appropriate rehabilitation and reintegration processes.
