Okon Bassey in Uyo
Nineteen suspected criminals have been arrested by the Akwa Ibom State Police Command for allegedly committing various crimes in the state including kidnapping, armed robbery, rape, murder and sell of baby.
The new Commissioner of Police, CP Zaki Muhammed Ahmed paraded the suspects at his maiden press briefing held on Wednesday at the State Police Headquarters, Ikot Akpan-Abia, Uyo.
“In my few weeks here, I have observed the prevalence of heinous crimes such as murder, armed robbery, and cultism etc. Most of the suspects arrested so far in the state have confessed to belonging to a particular cult group or the other,” he noted.
The Police boss who argued that with the nature of crimes being committed in the state there was a strong nexus between cultism and heinous crimes said in the course of fighting crimes in the state he would discharge his duty professionally in line with the rule of law and international best practices.
“I shall prioritise intelligence led policing, improved visibility policing, massive deployments of personnel, prompt response to distress calls and enhance community policing.
“The Command under my watch will have zero tolerance for perpetrators of the crimes,” he said and urged those perpetrating any form of criminality to desist forth with or quickly leave the state.
CP Ahmed said his first major breakthrough in the state was the arrest of the most wanted kidnap kingpins, Edidiong Uduak Bill a.k.a “Barrister” aged 36 by the Anti-Kidnapping Squad of the Command.
During investigation, the Police Commissioner said the suspect confessed to be the leader of “Vikings” secret cult confraternity in Etinan Local Government Area of the state and had involved in several heinous crimes such as kidnappings and robberies within the Etinan and Uyo, the state capital.
The suspect who had been on the run for long was also said to have confessed masterminding the kidnap of a lady in 2017 at Akpan Essien Street in Uyo until a ransom of N4.5 million was paid.
Similarly, six persons known for their notorious armed robbery/kidnapping were arrested while on a mission to kidnap one Dr. Isong of Ibok Ndiya Village in Ikono Local Government Area of the state by the SARS Operatives of the Command.
Three locally made pistols and four cartridges were reportedly recovered from them as the said Dr. Isong identified one of the suspects whom he assisted financially to bury his father who was a friend as well as assisted the suspect during church dedication of the
baby.
The Commissioner said a commercial motorcyclist identified as Ubong Uduak who diverted a female passenger to Nung Ukim Ikono village in Uyo local government area and forcefully had carnal knowledge of her was arrested by the Operatives of ‘D’ Division of the Command.
In addition, the suspect was said to have dispossessed the victim of her Techno phone valued N40, 000, Necklace value N3, 000 and cash of N7, 590.
Commissioner Ahmed disclosed that some of the suspects had already been charged to court while others would also be charged to court at the completion of investigation.
He called on the people of the state to cooperate with the State Police Command by giving timely information and exposing all criminal elements and their hide out in the state.
The Commissioner thanked the state government and the people of the state for their support to the Police and other security agencies towards reducing crime in the state to barest minimum.
