Akpan Umoh, Uyo
The operatives of the Akwa Ibom State Police Command have arrested two suspected sea pirates and recovered firearms and four stolen outboard engines.
The Police Public Relations Officer in the state (PPRO), SP Odiko Macdon, said this in a statement in Uyo on Tuesday.
According to him, the Commissioner of Police, Andrew Amiengheme, has vowed to make Akwa Ibom waterways unsafe for criminals.
Macdon added that the recent deployment of security operatives in the state has started yielding fruit and urged criminals to steer clear of the state.
The PPRO said: “Piqued by complaints about sea pirates in some parts of Akwa Ibom State waterways, the Commissioner of Police, Akwa Ibom State, CP Andrew Amiengheme, commenced special tactical deployments to make the waterways safer. These deployments are beginning to yield positive results.
“Relying on a robbery complaint on Nov. 6, 2021, at about 11:45 am Operatives of Mbo Division, led by the DPO, SP John Abua, arrested one Ability Emmanuel Okpet a.k.a “Blacky” ‘m’ at Ibaka in Mbo L.G.A.
“His confessions caused the DPO to lead a joint team of Police Operatives and the Nigerian Navy, Forward Operation Base, Ibaka to arrest one Joshua Ezekiel a.k.a “Gogo” m’ of Andoni L.G.A, Rivers, but residing at Esuk Ewang in Mbo LGA.”
Macdon in the statement said the suspects conspired with other members of their gang, now at large, in separate robbery operations on November 3 at about 9:00 pm, along Point three High Sea, robbed four fishermen of their fishes, 15 horsepower outboard engine, N775,000 and two G.S.M phones, valued at 45,000.
He said that during interrogation, the suspects confessed to the crime and led the operatives to were one locally made pistol, one locally made double barrel short gun and two locally made long barrel guns used for the operations were hidden in a shallow pit.
He said that other exhibits recovered included three stolen 9.9HP Suzuki Outboard Engines, one 40HP Yamaha outboard engine, one Itel phone and two bottles of concoction.
The police public relations officer said that efforts were on to arrest other fleeing gang members, adding that the suspects would be charged after investigation.