The police in Akwa Ibom State, South-south Nigeria, have arrested a 13-year-old male pupil for allegedly threatening his schoolmates with a pistol.
The suspect is a pupil at Saint Paul’s Primary School, Ikot Ibiok, a community in Eket Local Government Area of the state.
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The Commissioner of Police in Akwa Ibom State, Baba Azare, disclosed this during a press briefing in Uyo on Wednesday.
Mr Azare said operatives of the Police Command in Akwa Ibom received a tip-off at about 8 a.m. on 30 January that the boy was moving about with a pistol in the school and threatening to shoot his schoolmates.
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“The operatives of the command immediately swung into action and arrested the suspect and recovered a locally made pistol.
“On interrogation, the suspect confessed that he has been with the said gun since November 2024 and that he got it from a ward(robe) in his father’s bedroom,” he said.
The police commissioner said the father of the suspect had been arrested over the incident.
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He said the police have begun investigations into the matter.
Child stealing
Mr Azare said, in a separate operation, operatives from the police command arrested two girls who allegedly conspired and stole a child in Akwa Ibom in June last year.
He said the two unnamed girls allegedly stole the child in Obong Itam, a community in Itu Local Government Area of the state and sold the child for N200, 000 to someone in Cross River State.
Mr Azare said the suspects confessed to the crime and added that they used the proceeds to purchase a refrigerator, television and fan.
The police chief said the items had been recovered from them and an investigation was ongoing to arrest the buyer of the child.
Attempted trafficking
Mr Azare said, in another development, operatives from the Police Command in the state, on 1 February, arrested two women for alleged attempt to engage in human trafficking.
He gave the names of the arrested suspects as Gift Essien Tommy and Peace Ekanem.
The commissioner said the arrest of the suspects followed a tip-off from two unnamed girls, alleging that the suspects were attempting to traffick them to some men in Cross River State.
Mr Azare said the suspects allegedly planned to traffick the girls to the men in order to force them into getting pregnant, birthing children and then selling the children after which they share the proceeds.
Rape of minor
Mr Azare said, in another operation, operatives from the police command arrested a 60-year-old man who allegedly raped a nine-year-old girl in the state.
He said the arrest of the suspect, Aniefiok Edem, was in response to a petition from the victim’s mother who alleged that she sent the victim on an errand on 31 January when the suspect allegedly raped her.
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The victim’s mother, who hails from Afaha Offiong village in Nsit Ibom Community, claimed that Mr Edem dragged the victim into a nearby bush, removed her clothes, raped her and later gave her N200.
Mr Azare, at the press briefing, said the suspect would be charged to court as soon as investigations were concluded.
Arrest of suspected cultists
Mr Azare also said operatives of the command arrested some suspects, who were involved in various crimes, including cult related activities, unlawful possession of firearms and illicit drugs.
The police chief said the command would not relent in its efforts to rid the state of all crimes and criminalities.
He urged residents of the state to continue to support the police with useful information to aid the fight against criminals in the state.
(NAN)
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