Operatives of the Akwa Ibom State Police Command have announced the discovery of an armoury in a private mortuary at Ekeya, Okobo Local Government Area of the state.
According to Waheed Ayilara, the state Commissioner of Police, the operatives stormed the mortuary based on intelligence from the busting of a kidnapping syndicate.
Briefing newsmen while parading the suspects at the command headquarters, Ikot Akpabio, Uyo, Ayilara disclosed that the syndicate was led by a wanted kidnapper, one Ubong Effiong Archibong, is also known as ‘Condiment’, who was allegedly responsible for the kidnapping and killing of several persons in the state.
“Operatives of the Command through credible information and a painstaking investigation recovered firearms and ammunition used by a notorious kidnapping syndicate led by a wanted kidnapper, one Ubong Effiong Archibong, a.k.a Condiment,” the CP said.
“The kidnapping syndicate is responsible for the kidnapping and killing of several persons.
“The said firearms were recovered at a private mortuary being used as the armoury at Ekeya, Okobo L.G.A.
“The firearms are: Two (2) AK-47 Rifles, Two (2) G3 Rifles, One (1) Double Barrel Rifle, One (1) Single Barrel Rifle, Five (5) Magazines and Seven (7) Live Ammunitions.”
Also paraded was 23-year-old Daniel Edem Okon, who hired a commercial motorcyclist (Okada rider) from Idoro road to Mbikpon Ikot Edin but ended up hacking him to death on getting to a lonely path.
Okon allegedly buried the Okada rider in a shallow grave in the area and escaped with his motorcycle.
“On 12/7/2024 at about 8:30 pm Operatives of the command on routine patrol accosted two suspects, one Daniel Edem Okon ‘m’ 23yrs and Samaila Salisu ‘m’ 20yrs on a motorcycle without Identification Number along Timber Market, Uyo,” Ayilara further said.
“After rigorous interrogation, the rider confessed that on 11/7/2024 at about 9:00pm, he paid a commercial cyclist on a ride from Idoro Road to Mbikpon Ikot Edim.
“On getting to a lonely area he hacked the rider to death with a machete. Thereafter, he buried him in a shallow grave and went away with the motorcycle.
“The decomposed body of the victim later identified as one Saviour Anthony Effiong ‘m’ aged 45yrs has been exhumed and deposited in a morgue,” he said.
Other suspects were paraded for allegedly committing various crimes, such as kidnapping, rape, trafficking, vandalism, among others.
The Police boss said all the suspects would be arraigned in court upon completion of investigations.
He expressed appreciation to the people, government and sister security agencies for their collaborative efforts in fighting crime and insecurity in the state.
