By Okon Bassey
The Akwa Ibom Police Command has arrested 328 suspected criminals for alleged armed robbery, murder, cultism, rape and child trafficking in the state.
The state Commissioner of Police, Imohimi Edgal, disclosed this while parading some of the suspects at state police headquarters in Ikot Akpan Abia in Uyo, the state capital, yesterday.
According to the state police boss, the suspected criminals were arrested between the months of July and August this year, and would be charged to court at the end of investigations.
“The breakthrough was made possible on the grounds of sustained onslaught against rapists and other criminals in the state,” Edgal said.
Among those arrested, according to the commissioner, are 17 suspected murderer and cultists in Obio Idang village in Oruk Anam Local Government Area of the state on August 8.
The command, he said, is poised to sustain the tempo in the fight against crimes in order to provide adequate security for the lives and property of the people of the state.
Also, the commissioner said the command arrested a suspected child trafficking syndicate and rescue three victims.
“The command arrested gun runner and recovered 140 live cartridges based on reliable information in Esit Eket Local Government Area of the state on July 30,” he stated.
He further said the command arrested a fake soldier and his accomplice for car snatching, and recovered stolen vehicle.
Edgal said the fake soldier was arrested by Anti-Kidnapping operatives based on a reliable intelligence report.
He further revealed that the command apprehended one Christopher Akpan, 55, of Afaha Etok, Ibesikpo Asutan LGA for allegedly defiling a four-year-old girl, as well as four suspected armed robbers on Ikot Ekpene-Uyo road, saying the suspected robbers were all from Ikono Local Government Area of the state.
