A 16-year-old girl from Oruk Anam local government area of Akwa Ibom State suspected to be involved in kidnap-related crimes has begged for pardon.
She is Itoro Monday who was paraded Thursday along with 19 other suspected criminals at the state Police headquarters, Ikot Akpan Abia, Uyo.
Itoro told StraightNews that she was nabbed by the police with her kidnap-suspect boyfriend, Isangobong Enobong Etuk, in his house in Ikot Akpan Eda village, Oruk Anam.
“I was with my boyfriend in his house. When police came for him, I was also arrested. I did not know that he was into kidnapping. I have never been involved in kidnapping before please,” she begged.
Itoro said “I sell in the market. I stopped at Junior Seconday School one since my parents could no longer afford to pay my school fees.”
She, however, pleaded for pardon, maintaining that “I am innocent.”
Isangobong, the boyfriend, who also spoke to StraightNews, said that his friend who lured him into the kidnapping business promised to give him N200,000 to start his printing business.
He said that the police arrested him and a friend who also introduced him into the crime before the ransom was paid by their victim’s family. He, however, disclosed that the main culprit is still at large.
Isangobong vowed that if he is given a second chance, he would not go into crime again and pleaded with other criminal elements to turn a new leaf.
“I am here because my friend introduced me to kidnapping. That friend of mine is still at large as the police are yet to arrest him. I have only kidnapped one person and I was arrested with my other partner before we could even collect the ransom.
“If I am released, I promise I will never do anything like crime again. I am praying that God should have mercy on me. To others out there who are into crimes, I want to appeal to you to please leave it and pray for God to have mercy on you,” he said.
CP Adeyemi Samuel Ogunjemilusi, state commissioner of police, who briefed the media, said that the state police command was repositioned to combat crime more effectively.
“We have commenced a full implementation of community-based policing in the state. This is geared towards increasing public confidence on the police and working in partnership with members of the public in a more friendly and accountable manner,” he said.
Ogunjemilusi, said as a commissioner in the office for two weeks, “a total of 56 suspects were arrested for various offences ranging from armed robbery to cultism and other crimes most of the suspects have been charged to court while others are under investigation.”
Exhibits recovered include seven locally made pistols and two cut-to-size guns with six live cartridges were recovered, two cut-to-size locally made pump action with four rounds of cartridges.
Others are two locally made single barrel pistols and two locally made double barrel pistols with 11 cartridges.
Seven cars to include one Toyota 4 runner jeep was recovered, one Toyota Matrix, three Toyota Camry, one Hyundai Kia and one Highlander (2003) model were also recovered.
