Aniefiok Christopher
Akwa Ibom Police Command has warned property owners and house agents in the state to thoroughly screen prospective tenants following alleged abduction of three children by fellow tenants, saying that those who accommodate criminally minded ones could face possible arrest and prosecution over complicity.
A press release signed by DSP Timfon John, Akwa Ibom Police Command’s Public Relations Officer, gave the advice on Thursday amidst a trending video circulating online in which a woman was reported to have entrusted her children to relatively new co-tenants who allegedly absconded with them before her return.
In the viral video in the social media seen by this newspaper, some suspected co-tenants were alleged to have disappeared with three children belonging to one Emmanuel Edidiong Akpan.
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According to the trending video, the couple were said to have left for their businesses and entrusted the children to the care of the new tenants (two women and one man) who recently parked into the same rented compound in Ikot Odongo Village, Etim Ekpo Local Government Area of the state in November 2025.
The couple who narrated their ordeal to a content creator declared ‘‘When we returned, we discovered that the tenants had absconded with our three children – Testimony, Emmanuel and Queen-Flourish- all nursery school pupils. It is pathetic losing three children. We are appealing to members of the public to share the video widely and to report to security agents to help us in recovering our children.’’
In the police statement, ‘‘The incident … is currently receiving the attention of the Police, and investigation has commenced with a view to establishing the full circumstances surrounding the matter, locating the children and apprehending any person found culpable.
‘‘Consequently, the Commissioner of Police, Akwa Ibom State Command, CP Baba Mohammed Azare, fsi, has directed landlords, property owners and house agents across the State to henceforth exercise greater caution and carry out reasonable due diligence on prospective tenants before handing over residential accommodation to them.
‘‘The directive follows concerns that persons with criminal intentions may secure accommodation, gain the confidence of unsuspecting co-tenants and subsequently exploit such relationships to perpetrate crimes, particularly the abduction and trafficking of children,’’ it stated.
The CP has therefore advised landlords and property agents to ensure that prospective tenants provide verifiable information before taking possession of any property. Such information should, as much as possible, include valid means of identification, functional telephone numbers, previous residential addresses, next-of-kin details and credible guarantors or referees.
Landlords are further advised to maintain proper records of their tenants and promptly report suspicious conduct, unexplained movements or activities capable of threatening the safety and security of other occupants and members of the public.
The Command warned that any landlord, property agent or other person who knowingly harbours criminals, conceals the identity or whereabouts of a suspect, deliberately provides false information to investigators or otherwise assists an offender to evade arrest will be investigated and, where sufficient evidence establishes criminal responsibility, prosecuted in accordance with the law.
The Commissioner of Police has equally warned content creators, bloggers and social-media users against rushing sensitive cases of child abduction, trafficking and other serious crimes to social media without first liaising with the Police.
While social media can assist in creating awareness, the premature release of sensitive information concerning victims, suspects, locations or ongoing Police operations can equally alert offenders, enable them to relocate victims, destroy evidence, change their identities or flee from the reach of law-enforcement agencies.
The Command, therefore, urges content creators and members of the public who come across victims or obtain credible information concerning child abduction, trafficking or similar offences to immediately notify the Police, so that appropriate investigative and rescue measures can be initiated before sensitive details are circulated publicly.
”Henceforth, anyone whose deliberate actions obstruct an investigation, conceal an offender, compromise the rescue of a victim or materially assist a suspect to evade justice under the guise of content creation will be investigated and, where evidence warrants, prosecuted under the applicable laws.
”Parents and guardians are also strongly advised to exercise extreme caution when entrusting their children to newly acquainted neighbours, domestic workers, casual acquaintances or persons whose identities and backgrounds are not sufficiently known,” it remarked.
CP Azare reassures the people of Akwa Ibom State that the Command will continue to deploy all lawful resources available to combat child abduction and trafficking, rescue victims and bring perpetrators and their collaborators to justice.
The CP further calls on members of the public with useful information regarding the whereabouts of the missing children or any person connected to the incident to promptly contact the nearest Police station or the Akwa Ibom State Police Command.
The Command appreciates members of the public for their continued cooperation and urges everyone to remain vigilant, avoid spreading unverified information and allow investigators to conduct their work professionally and without unnecessary interference.
Police arrest six suspected robbers
In another development, the State Police Command has arrested six suspected members and associates of a robbery gang operating in Ikono, Ini and Obot Akara Local Government Areas of the state.
A press release signed by DSP Timfon John, spokesperson of the State Police Command, said the arrests were made in the early hours of Thursday during a coordinated clearance operation conducted by Police operatives in identified criminal hideouts within the three Local Government Areas.
‘‘The operation, which was led by the officer in charge of the tactical team, followed sustained intelligence gathering and operational efforts aimed at dismantling the remaining members and associates of the criminal network responsible for a series of criminal activities, particularly the theft and disposal of motorcycles and other valuable items.
‘‘During the operation, six suspects were apprehended, including a suspected native doctor alleged to have been providing charms and other fetish preparations for members of the gang, as well as another suspect alleged to specialise in producing fake receipts used to facilitate the disposal and sale of suspected stolen motorcycles and other items.’’
According to John, ‘‘the suspects arrested are: Peter Sabbath, male, 34 years, native of Ikot Inyang Village, Ikot Ekpene LGA; Joseph Udo, male, 25 years, native of Nung Ukim Ikot Okorie Village, Ikono LGA; and Victor Igwe, male, 23 years, native of Mbiabong Ukan Ikot Etefia Village, alleged to specialise in the production of fake receipts used to facilitate the sale of suspected stolen motorcycles.
Others are ‘‘Boniface Essiet, male, 37 years, of Ikot Akpan Ntim Village, Ikono LGA, alleged to be the native doctor providing charms and other fetish materials to members of the gang; Simeon Udo, male, 47 years, of Itak Ikot Akpandem Village, Ikono LGA; and Uko Akang, male, of Asanting Village, who was arrested in possession of a suspected stolen red Qlink motorcycle, registration number AUQ 73 VC.
‘‘Items recovered during the operation include: two single-barrel shotguns; three laptops; one suspected stolen motorcycle; local charms and other fetish items recovered from the shrine of the suspected native doctor; and other materials relevant to the ongoing investigation.’’
The Commissioner of Police, CP Baba Mohammed Azare, fsi, commends the operatives for their courage, professionalism and sustained commitment to intelligence-led policing. He has directed that the investigation be intensified with a view to establishing the suspects’ individual roles, recovering additional stolen property and apprehending other members or collaborators of the criminal network who may still be at large.
The Commissioner reiterates that the Command will continue to adopt proactive and intelligence-driven strategies to identify criminal elements, disrupt their operational networks and bring perpetrators to justice.
The Akwa Ibom State Police Command remains resolute in its determination to deny criminals safe havens and dismantle criminal networks operating within the State.
