Police nab wanted murder suspect, smash robbery gang
The Akwa Ibom State Police Command has recorded breakthroughs in its crackdown on violent crime, arresting a murder suspect who had been on the run for nearly six months and dismantling a suspected armed robbery syndicate operating in Ibiono Ibom and Itu Local Government Areas.
The operations also led to the recovery of a locally made Dane gun allegedly used in the murder, a single-barrel gun, eight live cartridges and a suspected stolen motorcycle.
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Etim Ekpimah
The Akwa Ibom State Police Command has recorded breakthroughs in its crackdown on violent crime, arresting a murder suspect who had been on the run for nearly six months and dismantling a suspected armed robbery syndicate operating in Ibiono Ibom and Itu Local Government Areas.
The operations also led to the recovery of a locally made Dane gun allegedly used in the murder, a single-barrel gun, eight live cartridges and a suspected stolen motorcycle.
In the first operation, police operatives arrested Nsikak Akpan of Ikot Akpan-Edemaya in Ikot Abasi Local Government Area, who had been on the Command’s wanted list over the alleged murder of Markanson, also from the same community.
According to the police, the suspect allegedly committed the offence on 6 January 2026 before fleeing to evade arrest. After months of intelligence gathering, surveillance and coordinated operations, detectives tracked and arrested him on 30 June 2026 at about 5.30 pm.
The command said the suspect confessed during interrogation, while the locally made Dane gun allegedly used in the killing was recovered. He remains in police custody as investigations continue ahead of prosecution.
In a separate intelligence-led operation on 29 June 2026, police operatives dismantled a suspected armed robbery syndicate believed to be responsible for snatching motorcycles at gunpoint from residents in Ibiono Ibom and Itu Local Government Areas.
The operation led officers to the gang’s hideout at Nasarawa Market in Mbak Itam Village, where they arrested a 22-year-old suspect, Destiny Ekong, from Afaha Ube Itam in Itu Local Government Area.
During the raid, officers recovered an unregistered Mate C90 motorcycle suspected to have been stolen.
Follow-up investigations led to the arrest of another suspect, 50-year-old Anietie John of Mbiakpan Atan Village. A search of his residence resulted in the recovery of a single-barreled gun and eight rounds of live cartridges believed to be linked to criminal activities.
Police said the suspects are providing useful information as investigations continue to identify and apprehend other members of the gang and recover further exhibits linked to its operations.
Commending the officers involved in the operations, the Commissioner of Police, Baba Mohammed Azare, praised their professionalism, resilience and operational efficiency.
He reaffirmed the Command’s commitment to intelligence-led policing and vowed that criminals would find no haven anywhere in Akwa Ibom State.
The commissioner warned those involved in criminal activities to abandon their unlawful acts or face the full weight of the law, noting that the command had strengthened its intelligence network to detect, disrupt and dismantle criminal gangs across the state.
Azare expressed appreciation to residents for their continued support, cooperation and timely provision of credible information, urging them to remain vigilant and sustain their collaboration with the police by providing actionable intelligence.
He assured residents that all information received would be treated with the strictest confidentiality as the Command intensifies efforts to protect lives and property and sustain peace and public safety across the state.
