Friday, July 3, 2026 -The Akwa Ibom State Police Command says it has arrested a suspected murderer who had been on the run for about six months and dismantled a suspected armed robbery syndicate accused of terrorising residents of Ibiono Ibom and Itu Local Government Areas.
The Police Public Relations Officer in the state, DSP Timfon
John, disclosed this in a statement on Thursday.
John stated that the operations also led to the recovery of
a locally made Dane gun, a single-barrel gun, eight live cartridges and a
suspected stolen motorcycle.
According to her, operatives arrested one Nsikak Akpan of
Ikot Akpan-Edemaya in Ikot Abasi Local Government Area over the alleged murder
of one Markanson, who was also from the same community.
She said the suspect allegedly committed the offence on
January 6, 2026, and then fled the area to evade arrest.
John added that after months of intelligence gathering and
surveillance, operatives tracked and arrested him on June 30 at about 5:30 p.m.
“During interrogation, the suspect confessed to the crime,
while the locally made Dane gun allegedly used in committing the murder was
recovered.
“The suspect remains in police custody as investigations
continue ahead of prosecution,” she added.
John noted that a separate operation by the operatives of
the command led to the dismantling of a suspected armed robbery syndicate known
for snatching motorcycles at gunpoint in Ibiono Ibom and Itu local government
areas.
She noted that the operation, carried out on June 29, led
officers to the gang’s hideout at Nasarawa Market in Mbak Itam Village, where
one Destiny Ekong, 22, of Afaha Ube Itam in Itu Local Government Area, was
arrested.
According to the PPRO, an unregistered Mate C90 motorcycle
suspected of being stolen was recovered during the raid.
She added that further intelligence led to the arrest of
another suspect, Anietie John, 50, of Mbiakpan Atan Village.
John stated that a search of the suspect’s residence
resulted in the recovery of a single-barreled gun and eight rounds of live
cartridges believed to be linked to criminal activities.
She added, “Both suspects are currently assisting the police
with ongoing investigations aimed at apprehending other fleeing members of the
criminal network and recovering additional exhibits.”
Reacting, the Commissioner of Police in the state, Baba
Mohammed Azare, commended the officers involved in the operations and
reaffirmed the command’s commitment to tackling crime across the state.
“He further warned individuals involved in criminal
activities to either abandon their unlawful acts or be prepared to face the
full weight of the law, stressing that the Command’s intelligence architecture
has been significantly strengthened to detect, disrupt, and dismantle criminal
networks across the state,” the statement added.
The commissioner also appreciated residents for supporting
the police with timely information and urged them to continue providing
credible intelligence, assuring them that such information would be treated
confidentially.
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