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The Police in Akwa Ibom have arrested 562 suspects for various offences in the last quarter of 2023.
The Commissioner of Police in the state, Mr Olatoye Durosinmi stated this at a news conference on Saturday in Uyo.
He said the operatives of the command arrested the suspects for various crimes ranging from murder, kidnapping, armed robbery, rape and stealing.
According to Durosinmi, a number of the suspects have been charged to court, and some of them granted bail while others are stll under investigations.
He listed some of the offences to include; pipeline vandalism and economic sabotage by one Godwin Ita Effiong, who conspired with four others to vandalise pipeline belonging to Frontier Oil and stole 18 jerry cans of 25 litres of crude oil on Nov. 18.
The CP added that during the period under review, one Francis Eze and Johnson Amadu, allegedly armed with locally made gun robbed a POS operator, one Glory Akpan and carted away with her POS machine, Android phone and N300,000.
Also, operatives of the command on Nov. 21, arrested Samuel Jackson and Favour Friday, for allegedly abducting a three-year-old child, daughter of one Effiong Akpan.
He said preliminary investigations revealed that the suspects sold the child to a woman in Abia through a third party, adding that efforts are being intensified to arrest other suspects and rescue the child.
“May I on behalf of the officers and men of the Akwa Ibom Command wish you a fruitful New Year ahead.
“For the yuletide, I deployed 1,758 officers and men to effectively provide security during the Christmas, and am happy that we had a peaceful celebration.
“I must say that our security strategies and our collaboration with sister security agencies has led to a more peaceful Akwa Ibom.
“During the last quarter of the year, a total of 562 suspects were arrested for various offences ranging from murder, kidnapping, armed robbery, rape and stealing,” he said.
The CP expressed optimism that with the procurement of 14 gunboats by the Akwa Ibom government to the Nigerian Navy, maritime crimes would be reduced to the barest minimum in the state.
He warned criminals to have a change of heart or relocate as the state is no longer safe for them.