Akwa Ibom Police Command was smarter in bursting a syndicate of three women who allegedly sold two children of their neighbour on the guise of taking them to Mrs Martha Udom Emmanuel, the wife of the state governor, for financial assistance.
The suspects- Enobong Nsikak Sunday, Mary Okon Bassey and Gertrude Thompson Akpan- were said to have tricked and collected the two children of one Emem Wanakwo on the pretence of taking them to the governor’s wife for aid.
Mr. Musa Kimo, the Akwa Ibom Police Commissioner who told the press on Thursday at the police headquarters, Ikot Akpan Abia said the women also stole little Miss Confidence Aniefiok Ita.
Kimo said the police have recovered and re-united the children with their parents while the suspects have been charged to court.
He announced that between December 2018 and January this year 213 suspects were arrested, 111 charged to court; some are undergoing investigation while those not culpable were released.
“The command secured 18 convictions. The suspects arrested committed offenses ranging from murder, kidnapping, child stealing, defilement, stealing and robbery, among others.”
According to him, “one Kingsley Udoyen of 3 Stadium Road, Abak was arrested on January 2, 2019 for personating to be Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP), a position he has used to defraud and to threaten unsuspecting members of the public.
“A search in his house led to the recovery of one English pistol without magazine and ammunition, portraits of Chief Superintendent of Police (CSP) and Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP), three pairs of uniform, police belt, fake Police ID card, and other documents from the suspect.”
He said on January 13, this year, a 29-year-old Joseph Effiong from Ikono local government area, a security man at Royal City Central Chapel Church, Uyo, lured a four-year-old Miss Mfoniso Nse Okon to an uncompleted building and defiled her.
The police boss said on January 13, 2019, one Joseph Sunday Essien of Ifa Ikot Obong defiled his 13-year-old step-daughter, one Patience Edet Edem and one Edet Inyang Edem for defiling a 10-year-old minor, one Mfon Sunday Okon later abandoned the victim at Use Offot market squad, Uyo local government area were arrested.
He stated, “Arrest of Martins Okon Asuquo ‘m’ and Iboro Edet Etim ‘m’, a self-confessed cultist of Red Skin Confraternity who robbed one Josephine Nkweke ‘f’ of Ekpene Ukim village in Uruan local government area in her provision store on January 14, 2019.
“Arrest of Odudu Emem Hanson, ‘m’ on January 20, 2019 for robbing one Bright Uffi Okpoyo ‘f’ of No.1 Ebet Aya Street of cash, phone and other valuables.
“Arrest of eight cultists: Ukeme Etim Udosen, Victor Isaiah Joshua, Kingsley Aniedi Sampson, Ndifreke Bassey Isaac, Samuel Friday Nnana, Idongesit Effiong Asuquo, David Nicodemus Effiong, Daniel Aniedi Nnana, all males, members of Iceland Marine Patrol (IMP) at Udemy Plaza, Ekom Iman Junction on 9th January, 2019, who attacked and almost murdered one Uduak Willie Bob ‘m’ of Ikot Oku Ikono village in Uyo.
“Arrest of one Joseph Akpanowo ‘m’ on 18th January, 2019, who stole his daughter, one-year-four-month old Miss Goodness Joseph and sold her to one Nyakno Uwa ‘f’ residing in Port Harcourt at N150,000.00. During investigation, N125,500 being part of the proceeds was recovered from him.”
“Arrest of thee child stealing syndicate: Nsikak Sunday Akpan, Uduak Okon Effiong both male and Itohowo Godwin Akpan ‘f’ who snatched one little Miss Blessing Otobong Benson, aged one year, three months old at Ekom Iman Junction. The kingpin of the syndicate, Nsikak Sunday Akpan took operatives of the Command to Okija in Anambra State where another three-year-old girl who was snatched by the same gang at Mbierebe village at Ibesikpo Asutan LGA sometime in December, 2018 was recovered in a motherless baby home waiting to be sold, the parents of the baby were traced and the baby was reunited with the family and are here today (Thursday).
“Arrest of three robbery suspects, namely one Emmanuel Ita Oboho, Edidiong Ime Lazarus and Idongesit Okon Effiong, all males who robbed one Divine Jonah ‘f’ of the sum of one hundred thousand naira (N100,000.00), along UBA, Aka Road, Uyo LGA.
“Arrest of Murder suspect, one Ekpeno Edet ‘m’ who killed a security man attached to Badusen Hotel, sometime in December, 2018 at Itam in Itu LGA. During investigation, the suspect confessed to the crime and mentioned his gang leader to be one Olu Ariyo Amos ‘m’.
“On 15/1/2019, operatives of the Command swung into action and in an attempt to arrest the gang leader in Ikot Ekpene LGA, suspect engaged operatives on gun battle where he sustained bullet wounds and gave up the ghost while receiving treatment. One locally made, four live cartridges and a machete were recovered.
“Arrest of 3 robbery suspects: one Itoro Ambrose Dan, Uwem Chris Davis and Aniekan Friday Idiong, all male at Kilimanjaro Eatery for robbery. Instant search led to recovery of five GSM phones.
“Arrest of one Odudu Emem Hanson ‘m’, a leader of a five-man gang who used keke in their operation in robbing their victims. They trailed and robbed one Bright Uffi Okpoyo ‘f’ and Mfoniso Samuel Umoh of No. 1 Ebet Aya Street, Uyo of their valuables while returning home from their place of work,” the police commissioner revealed.
