A teenage student of Community Secondary School, Ikot Ewa, in Akpabuyo local government area of Cross River State and 12 other alleged criminals have been paraded by the Commissioner of Police, CP Sikiri Kayode Akande.
Parading the suspects on Friday, the Commissioner of Police said on 11/02/2021 at about 1420hrs, one CSP Eni Aharanwa, the Coordinator of joint Border Patrol, South-South Zone 7, Calabar, handed over Promise Idorenyin, a 17-year-old female and Okon Effiong, 38 years old male suspected cultists to the Police.
He said “The 17-year-old SS 11 Student of Community Secondary School, Ikot Ewa, Akpabuyo, had in her school bag, a locally made double barrel pistol which was discovered by the Principle of her School.
The young suspect allegedly admitted that the said firearm was given to her by her boyfriend of Abasi Effiom Village in Akpabuyo
On the arrest of three suspected vandals and the recovery of electrical installations, the Commissioner said on 29th of January, Emmanuel Enok ‘M’ aged 20, Augustine Okpaya Ogabor ‘m’ aged 23 years and Billya Surag ‘m; aged 20 years were arrested by youths of the community after they had successfully cut an armoured cable measuring approximately twenty-five (25) feet from a transformer.
Commissioner explained that on 11th of February 2021 at about 1700hrs, while acting on credible intelligence, the operatives from the Department of Operations while on routine stop and search along Odukpani-Calabar Highway, apprehended three suspects, namely: Etim Etim Bassey ‘m’ Edidiong Sunday ‘m’, Okon Asuquo Okon ‘m?
“Upon search, Fifty-seven (57) rounds of 7.6MM live ammunition were recovered from their possession and investigations have commenced to unravel their source and possibly arrest other accomplices.
On the rescue of kidnap victims, the Commissioner said on February, 17th 2021, at about 1705hrs combined teams of Operatives cordoned a hideout of one notorious kidnapper and cultist popularly known as Romans ‘m’ at No. 24C School Road, Satellite Town, Calabar and rescued one Endurance Aniedi Egbara,
“During the process four (4) suspects sustained various degrees of gunshot injuries in an attempt to evade arrest. They were confirmed dead in the Hospital. Items recovered from them include: Three (3) locally made pistols with three live cartridges, charms, amulets, two bottles of concoction, one pack substance suspected to be cocaine, one Itel Phone, three (3) sim cards, Documents of a vehicle with Registration No. CAL 932 TC used by the kidnappers. Investigation is ongoing
On the arrest of another suspected cultist, murderer and kidnapper, CP Akande said on 18 February 2021, at about 0949hts, one Edet Ekpo Eyo m’ aged 38yrs was arrested through credible information by the Anti-Cultism/kidnapping Squad (ACKS).
The suspect has been on the Police and State Government wanted list for several cases of Murder, Armed Robbery, Kidnapping, and Cultism. He confessed to being a member of AXE Men Confraternity and has made some useful information that will help the Police on the cause of investigation, the CP said.
“In a bid to restore peace and social order at Marina Resort Calabar, major Stakeholders and Youths in the area were engaged in meaningful discussions by the Command, on the need to shun violence, confrontation, bitterness and rather embrace dialogue as a Veritable tool for conflict resolution which is Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) in resolving the said dispute.
“This is one amongst other conflict management meetings settled in the State The CP said the quest for human and technological means of policing has come to the limelight in addressing crimes/criminalities globally, nationally and internally, Cross River State inclusive.
“It is on the above, the Command adopted new security strategies with the introduction of electronic devices, (Drone), proactive intelligence-led policing taking cognizance of the geographical location of the State” he stated.
In a chat with DAILY POST, shortly after the parade, Okon Effiong who was arrested alongside Promise, the 17-year student caught in possession of a gun, said the teenager is his girlfriend and that he had slept with her many times.
He also admitted ownership of the gun, which he said he bought for N7000 and had given it to his girlfriend to take to a blacksmith because it was not functioning well.
