CP: 562 Suspects Arrested in Last Quarter of 2023 in A’Ibom

Okon Bassey in Uyo

Suspects numbering 562 for offences including murder, kidnapping, armed robbery, rape and stealing were arrested in the last quarter of 2023 by the police in Akwa Ibom State.

The state Commissioner of Police, Olatoye Durosinmi, disclosed this at weekend while briefing journalists  at the Police Command headquarters in Ikot Akpanbia, Uyo.

According to him, some of the suspects have been charged to court, others granted bail, while some were still undergoing investigation.

The state police boss listed some of the offences to include vandalism and economic sabotage by one Godwin Ita Effiong from Eket Local Government Area.

He conspired with four others to vandalise pipeline belonging to Frontier Oil and stole 18 jerry cans of 25 litres of crude oil on November 18, 2023.

The CP added that during the period under review, Francis Eze and Johnson Amadu, armed with locally-made gun robbed a POS operator, Glory Akpan, and carted away her POS machine, android phone, and N300, 000.

He said: “For the yuletide, I deployed 1, 758 officers and men to effectively provide security, and I am happy that we had a peaceful celebration.

“I must say that our security strategies and our collaboration with sister security agencies have led to a more peaceful Akwa Ibom State.

 “During the last quarter of the year, a total of 562 suspects were arrested for various offences ranging from murder, kidnapping, armed robbery, rape and stealing.”

Durosinmi also stated that on November 21, Samuel Jackson and Favour Friday from Oruk Anam LGA were arrested for stealing a three-year-old child, the daughter of Effiong Akpan.

He said the suspects have confessed to have stolen the child and sold her to a certain woman at Abia State through a third party, stressing that efforts are in progress to arrest other suspects and rescue the child.

The commissioner warned criminals operating in the state to have a change of heart or relocated out of the state as the state is no longer safe for criminals.