Aniefiok Christopher
Three suspected cultists who admitted membership of Vikings Confraternity are cooling their feet in the custody of Akwa Ibom Police Command.
The suspects are Dick Udofia, Emem Charles, and Ubong Matthew, who are students of a polytechnic were apprehended at residential building off Abak Road, Uyo with Ice (Methamphetamine), cannabis commonly known as Indian hemp.
‘‘Preliminary investigations revealed that all three suspects admitted membership of the Vikings Confraternity. Investigators further established that one of the suspects, Ubong Matthew, was allegedly forcefully initiated into the cult group on July 5, 2026, during a ceremony reportedly masterminded by Dick Udofia at the same location.
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‘‘The suspects, who are students of a certain polytechnic (name withheld), are currently assisting the Police with useful information.
‘‘Efforts are ongoing to apprehend the fleeing suspects,’’ DSP Timfon John, the Command’s Police Public Relations Officer for the state Commissioner of Police, in a press release, confirmed the arrest.
In a separate operation, operatives of the Command arrested one Joshua Akpan, a 32-year-old security guard employed by a private security company.
According to the release, ‘‘the arrest followed actionable intelligence linking the suspect to a syndicate specializing in vandalizing and stealing armoured electrical cables and other electrical installations from churches, residential buildings, factories, and government facilities.
‘‘A search conducted at the suspect’s residence pursuant to a duly executed search warrant led to the recovery of cut-to-size armoured cables, bundles of vandalized electrical wires, pliers, an iron-cutting blade, a hammer, and other tools suspected to have been used in committing the crimes.
‘‘During interrogation, the suspect confessed to vandalizing and stealing electrical cables from Catholic Cathedral where he had been employed as a security guard. Investigations are ongoing to arrest other members of the criminal syndicate still at large and recover additional stolen property.’’
The Commissioner of Police, Akwa Ibom State Command, CP Baba Mohammed Azare, fsi, commended the professionalism, vigilance, and swift response of the operatives involved in both operations.
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He reiterated that the Command remains resolute in dismantling criminal networks, combating cultism and drug-related crimes, and safeguarding public infrastructure across the state.
The Commissioner warned individuals involved in cultism, drug trafficking, vandalism, and other criminal enterprises to desist or face the full weight of the law, stressing that the Command will continue to deploy intelligence-driven policing strategies to identify, arrest, and prosecute offenders.
Azare further called on residents of Akwa Ibom State to remain vigilant and continue partnering with the Police by providing timely and credible information. The Command assures the public that every useful piece of information will be treated with utmost confidentiality and acted upon promptly in the interest of ensuring a safer and more secure Akwa Ibom State.
Police Recover Locally Made Pistol from a Suspect in Essien Udim
The Akwa Ibom State Police Command has arrested a 42-year-old man and recovered a locally made pistol in Essien Udim Local Government Area, averting what authorities described as a potential violent attack.
The arrest, according to the Command, was part of its ongoing intelligence-led campaign against criminality in line with the directive of the Commissioner of Police, CP Baba Mohammed Azare, to rid the state of criminal elements and strengthen public safety.
Police said the incident occurred at about 9:00 p.m. on July 1, 2026, when the Command Control Room in Uyo received a distress call from a community leader, whose identity was withheld for security reasons. The caller alleged that the suspect, identified as Bassey Udo Idiong, had stormed his palace armed with a locally made pistol and threatened to shoot him.
Acting swiftly on the report, police operatives were deployed to the scene, where they successfully disarmed the suspect without resistance and recovered the firearm. He was immediately taken into custody.
The Command stated that the prompt intervention by its officers prevented what could have resulted in a tragic loss of life, describing the operation as a demonstration of its commitment to responding rapidly to credible security threats across the state.
Police further disclosed that the suspect remains in custody while detectives have commenced a comprehensive investigation to determine the source of the recovered firearm, establish the motive behind the alleged threat, and identify any accomplices or criminal network linked to the suspect.
According to the Command, the suspect will be charged to court upon the conclusion of investigations.
While commending the officers involved in the operation, Commissioner of Police Baba Mohammed Azare praised their professionalism, courage and swift response, reaffirming the Command’s determination to sustain aggressive intelligence-led policing and targeted operations against illegal firearms and violent crimes.
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He also urged residents to remain vigilant and continue providing timely and credible information to security agencies, assuring them that all reports would be treated with the utmost confidentiality.
The Police Command reiterated its commitment to protecting lives and property across Akwa Ibom State, warning that criminal elements would find no hiding place in the state.
