The Akwa Ibom Police Command has arrested two suspected gunsmiths and uncovered illegal firearms fabrication factory in the state.
Acting on credible intelligence, the police arrested Aniekan Aniedi, a 39-year-old male resident of Itam Village, Itu Local Government Area, who was actively engaged in the production of locally fabricated and illegal firearms, which were being supplied to suspected robbers and cultists in the region.
A press release signed by the state police spokesperson DSP Timfon John, said ‘‘Operatives of the Command stormed the factory on Thursday, October 24, 2025, at around 18:57 hours. The operation led to the arrest of the primary suspect, Aniekan Aniedi, and a second individual, Ubong Udofia, a 35-year-old male, believed to be an accomplice in the illegal enterprise.
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‘‘A comprehensive search of the illicit factory yielded a significant cache of weapons, tools, and materials used in the manufacturing process. The recovered items include: three fabricated locally made guns, five pieces of metal pipes, two iron rods, assorted copper wires and two flat metals designed for fabricating gun butts.
‘‘Furthermore, the following tools and machinery, central to the illegal production line, were also seized as evidence: one welding machine, one mini-electric screwdriver and one electric filing machine,” she stated.
According to her, ‘‘An intensive investigation is currently ongoing to uncover the full extent of the suspects’ network, identify their clients, and get possible links of their operations to other criminal activities. The suspects will be charged to court upon the conclusion of the investigation.
‘‘The Commissioner of Police, Akwa Ibom State Command, CP Baba Mohammad Azare fsi, commended the operatives for their swift and effective action, stating that the operation is a significant blow to the illicit arms supply chain fueling violence and criminality in our state.’’
CP Azare has, therefore, urged members of the public to continue to provide timely and credible information on suspicious activities within their communities, assuring that all information will be treated with the utmost confidentiality.
