Akwa Ibom State Police Command has arrested suspected tricycle robbery criminals and recovered 72 telephones stolen from unsuspecting members of the public.
The State Commissioner of Police, Baba Mohammed Azare, stated this during a press briefing at the Command Headquarters, Ikot Akpanabia in Uyo Local Government Area of the state on Friday.
The breakthrough, according to him, followed a petition from one Mr. Aniekan Dan, who reported that he and his wife were robbed on July 3, 2025, by three men posing as passengers and a tricycle rider along the University of Uyo Permanent Site Roundabout.
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The suspects collected such valuable items as his iPhone 12 Pro Max, iPhone 16, Samsung S22, ₦28,200 cash, and a handbag containing personal belongings.
The couple who were later thrown out of the moving tricycle managed to identify its MOT number — a clue that led detectives to the gang’s hideout.
Through intelligence-led operations, police arrested the tricycle rider, one Editi, 34, whose confession led to the capture of four other members of the gang — Musa Idris Sanni, 31; Utibe Asuquo Nkop, 34; Dadati John, 46; and Abdulrashid Sanni, 28.
Recovered exhibits include three tricycles and 72 assorted mobile phones, suspected to have been stolen from multiple victims.
CP Azare urged members of the public who have lost their phones to visit the Uyo Area Command with proof of ownership for identification and collection.
In a related operation on October 13, 2025, police operatives intercepted another tricycle along Nasarawa Road, Uyo, carrying five men and a large cache of brand-new household appliances, including fans, microwaves, decoders, stabilizers, and electric irons.
The suspects — Muhammed Saifuana (32), Musa Abdulahi (27), Samaila Sauwanu (21), Mubansir Abubakar (20), and Adamu Umar (25) — are currently under investigation to determine the source of the goods and identify other accomplices.
CP Azare reaffirmed the Command’s resolve to make Akwa Ibom unsafe for criminals, stressing that “no hiding place will be left for tricycle robbers or any criminal syndicate operating in the state.”
He commended the professionalism of his officers and the vigilance of citizens, adding that all suspects will be charged to court upon completion of investigations.
“The Akwa Ibom State Police Command under my watch will not relent until our people can sleep with their two eyes closed,” the Commissioner of Police assured.
