The Akwa Ibom State Police Command says it has arrested 10 suspected kidnappers who have confessed to the crime.
The state Commissioner of Police, Olatoye Durosinmi, said the 10 kidnappers were among the 79 suspects arrested so far in 2024.
During a press briefing on Saturday in Uyo, Durosinmi stated that the 10 kidnap suspects were the greatest achievement of the command within the month.
The CP explained that the police recovered four AK-47 rifles from the suspects who were planning to unleash mayhem on the state.
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“This January alone, 79 criminal elements have been arrested for various crimes. The greatest achievement within the last one month is the arrest of 10 confessed kidnappers who were planning to unleash mayhem on the state and the recovery of four AK-47 rifles.
“On 16/1/2024, at about 3:45pm, operatives of Ibiono Ibom Division, relying on credible intelligence stormed Ibiaku Ikot Oku Community Forest, where over 15 heavily armed suspects were camping, and engaged them in a gun duel.
“Some of the suspects absconded with bullet wounds while four of them were arrested and one AK-47 rifle recovered. A swift follow up of the operation by the Anti-Robbery Unit of the Command led to a further arrest of six suspects and the recovery of three more AK-47 rifles.
“The suspects, who came from different neighbouring states to cause havoc in Akwa Ibom State, confessed that they were planning and monitoring to kidnap an expatriate involved in the construction work along Calabar-Itu Highway,” he stated.
The CP further revealed that operatives of the command arrested two gangs of eight armed robbery suspects with locally made pistols, two pairs of police accoutrement, two machetes, an expended cartridge, and substances suspected to be hard drugs.
He explained that some of the suspects, who have confessed to be members of Iceland, Cult group were responsible for robberies within Ekpene Ukim, Uruan, Ibesikpo and Nsit Atai local government areas.
He stated that the command was committed to providing maximum security for the state, and commended other sister security agencies for the collaboration.
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