The Akwa Ibom Command Police said it had rescued an 83-year-old woman, Comfort Joshua, from kidnappers’ den in Etim-Ekpo in Akwa Ibom State.

The Commissioner of Police in the State, Adeyemi Ogunjemilusi, disclosed this at a news briefing in Uyo, the state capital on Tuesday.

He said two of the abductors of the woman were gunned down during the exchange of fire with the police.

Mr Ogunjemilusi also said the command in the month of July apprehended a grandmother, Ekaette Obot, who kidnapped and sold her granddaughter for N200,000.

The commissioner said the command arrested a total of 276 suspects in July for various offences, which included, murder, armed robbery, kidnapping, rape, and cultism among others.

He said 19 locally-made pistols, one pump action gun and one AK 47 rifle, one Toyota Camry saloon car with Registration number CAL 584 NF, one Toyota Corolla vehicle with Reg. Number AA 50 NRJ and 52 ammunition had been recovered from the hoodlums.

“An 83-year-old woman, Mrs Comfort Joshua, was rescued from kidnappers’ den in Etim Ekpo Local Government Area, on Thursday, July 19 and two of her abductors gunned down during exchange of fire with the police.

“We also rescued a two-year-old child, Miss Testimony Bassey, from her abductors in Abia state where six suspects were arrested in connection with her abduction.

“A four-year-old child, one Bright Monday, was also rescued from her abductors along Aka Road, by IBB Roundabouts, Uyo, and four suspects arrested,” Mr Ogunjemilusi said.

The commissioner said most of the suspects had been charged to court while investigation was still ongoing on some other cases.

According to him, the command prosecuted 193 cases and had so far secured 23 convictions.

The commissioner added that three suspects, who specialised in vandalising and stealing armoured cables on transformers; solar panels and street lights, were also arrested and their loots recovered.

Mr Ogunjemilusi said the command was determined to sustain the tempo in crime fighting and protection of lives and property in Akwa Ibom.

He said the police in Akwa Ibom had increased its visibility through mobile patrols across the state to reduce the response time to distress calls.

Mr Ogunjemilusi said the command’s community policing approach had endeared it to the populace and created more confidence in the minds of citizens.

The commissioner of police commended the Akwa Ibom State Government and the people for their support to the Police and other security agencies toward reducing crime to the barest minimum.

(NAN)