Akwa Ibom: Police arrest 63 suspects, recover 19 firearms

From August 1 to September 3, 2025, the Akwa Ibom State Police Command recorded major breakthroughs in crime-fighting, arresting 63 suspects for various offences, recovering 19 firearms, and rescuing 22 victims of human trafficking.

Commissioner of Police, Baba Mohammed Azare, who disclosed this in Uyo on Wednesday, said the achievements reflect both the professionalism of officers and the cooperation of residents in combating insecurity across the state.

Among the highlights was the neutralisation of a notorious kidnapper, John Ubong Akpan, in Mkpat Enin LGA, and the rescue of 20 Ghanaian nationals trafficked into Uyo. Two Nigerian victims of trafficking were also freed, while the alleged ringleader, 47-year-old Alex Omosivie, was arrested.

The Command also dismantled multiple armed robbery and car theft syndicates. Four stolen vehicles were recovered, and suspects confessed to stealing nine others in separate operations. Police further foiled a kidnap attempt in Eket, rescuing the victim and recovering an AK-47 rifle, an assault rifle, a pump-action shotgun, and other weapons.

Cult-related cases featured prominently, with 18 suspected cultists arrested in Eket, Abak, Ikono, Obot Akara, and Mkpat Enin LGAs. Seven members of a Ku Klux Klans confraternity cell were arrested after allegedly assaulting a student in Ikot Osurua and stealing ₦41,000 and his phone.

Equally disturbing was the arrest of a suspected ritualist in Uruan, where police recovered a fabricated firearm, as well as the discovery of fetish items—including coffins, photographs, and sanitary pads—from cult suspects’ shrines.

The Command also arrested a fake medical doctor, Gabriel Gideon, who allegedly posed as an ophthalmologist and administered unapproved concoctions to hundreds of residents in Itu LGA at ₦500 per person.

In another operation, two suspects attempting to vandalise an electricity transformer in Ika LGA were apprehended in a joint police–military operation. Items recovered included gas cylinders, towing chains, and iron cutters.

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On August 8, operatives raided a robbery syndicate’s hideout in Obot Akara LGA, arresting seven suspects and seizing firearms, motorcycles, charms, and military camouflage. Another armed robber, Imoh Gavin Akpan, was killed during a gun battle in Ikot Ekpene.

In total, the Command arrested 12 armed robbery suspects, six suspected kidnappers, 18 cultists, five vandals, and others linked to murder, burglary, and illicit drug dealing.

The total haul during the period includes 19 firearms—comprising an AK-47 rifle, an English Beretta pistol, a pump-action shotgun, and 14 locally made pistols—alongside 104 rounds of ammunition.

Azare added that the Command also recovered four stolen vehicles and foiled several kidnapping attempts, rescuing two victims alive.

He urged Akwa Ibom residents to remain vigilant and continue providing intelligence to security agencies, noting that police hotlines remain open for distress calls.

“These operational successes are not only a testament to the diligence and professionalism of our officers, but also to the collaboration of the good people of Akwa Ibom State,” the Commissioner stated.

NIGERIAN TRIBUNE