The Nigeria Police Force in Akwa Ibom State says it has arrested suspected cultists, a suspected fraudster accused of impersonating the State Commissioner for Finance, Emem Bob and four men connected to the theft of renovation materials from a federal government college.
The police said the arrests followed separate intelligence-led operations across parts of the state as the command intensified its crackdown on cultism, cybercrime, vandalism and armed robbery.
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The police spokesperson in the state, Timfon John, a deputy superintendent of police, disclosed the arrest in a statement issued on Saturday.
According to the statement, operatives arrested four suspects over the alleged theft of burglary proof materials meant for the renovation of hostel blocks in a federal government college in the state.
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The arrested suspects are David Ukpe, a security guard attached to the school, Emmanuel Johnny, Murtala Muhammad and Sani Abubakar.
The police said the suspects were arrested after the school’s chief security officer reported the theft on 21 May.
“The stolen items, mainly burglary proofs meant for the ongoing renovation of hostel blocks within the institution, were carefully removed from where they had been secured for the Federal Government-backed project,” the statement said.
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The police preliminary investigations indicated that the suspects conspired to steal and sell the materials for personal gain.
According to the statement, the Commissioner of Police in the state, Baba Azare, described the act as “a direct sabotage of government developmental efforts and a gross betrayal of public trust.”
Arrest of fraud suspect
In another operation, police arrested a suspect, Imeobong Akpan for allegedly impersonating the Akwa Ibom Commissioner for Finance, Emem Bob, on social media platforms.
The suspect, from Ikot Ekpene Udo Village in Nsit Ubium Local Government Area, was arrested after a complaint was lodged with the police on 22 May alleging that an individual had been using the commissioner’s identity and photographs on fake social media accounts to defraud unsuspecting members of the public.
The statement said police detectives later tracked and arrested the suspect in the Ewet Housing Estate area of Uyo.
According to the police, the suspect allegedly created fake WhatsApp and Facebook accounts using the commissioner’s identity and used them to lure job seekers, particularly young women, with false promises of securing government jobs.
The police said the suspect confessed to impersonating the commissioner and posing as his personal assistant.
“He also confessed to luring over 10 ladies to hotels under false promises of securing government jobs and obtaining money from victims through deceitful means,” the statement added.
Police recovered a mobile phone and other electronic devices from the suspect, which are undergoing forensic analysis.
Arrest of suspected cultists
The police also announced the arrest of two suspected cultists and armed robbery suspects in Ikot Ekpene Local Government Area.
The suspects, identified as Iniobong Albert, a Higher National Diploma 1 Civil Engineering student of Akwa Ibom State Polytechnic, and Daniel Akpan, were arrested on 22 May while riding a QLINK motorcycle.
READ ALSO: Police recover 69 firearms, arrest 178 suspects in Akwa Ibom within five months
According to the police, operatives recovered a locally made shotgun, two live cartridges, a suspected protective charm, an Android phone, a cross bag and the motorcycle.
The police said Mr Albert allegedly confessed to being a member of the proscribed Ku Klux Klans (KKK) Confraternity and admitted that they were on an unlawful mission before their arrest.
PREMIUM TIMES reported that the police in Akwa Ibom recently arrested 25 suspected cultists and recovered firearms.
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