The police have arrested a man accused of defrauding members of the public by pretending to be an assistant commissioner of police in Akwa Ibom State.
The Commissioner of Police in the state, Musa Kimo, paraded the suspect before journalists in Uyo on Thursday. He gave his name as Kingsley Udoyen.
Mr Kimo said Mr Udoyen, who resides at House 3, Stadium Road, Abak, was arrested on January 2.
The suspect has been using the fake police rank to threaten and defraud unsuspecting members of the public, Mr Kimo said.
“A search in his house led to the recovery of one English pistol without magazine and ammunition, portraits of chief superintendent of police and assistant commissioner of police, three pairs of uniform, police belt, fake police ID card, and other documents,” the police commissioner said.
He said several other suspected criminals have been arrested in the state for robbery, murder, and cultism.
The list included a murder suspect, one Emmanuel Tom, who allegedly stabbed one Imeobong Effiong to death in Ibiono Local Government Area.
The police said one Martins Okon Asuquo and Iboro Edet Etim were arrested on January 14 for allegedly robbing a female shop owner at her store in Ekpene Ukim, Uruan Local Government Area.
One of the suspects, Mr Etim, the police said, has confessed to belonging to a cult group called Red Skin Confraternity.
The police also said eight suspected members of a cult group, Iceland Marine Patrol, were arrested on January 9 for the attempted murder of one Uduak Bob.
The suspected cultists, according to the police, are Ukeme Etim Udosen, Victor Isaiah Joshua, Kingsley Aniedi Sampson, Ndifreke Bassey Isaac, Samuel Friday Nnana, Idongesit Effiong Asuquo, David Nicodemus Effiong, and Daniel Aniedi Nnana.
One Odudu Emem Hanson, the police said, was also arrested on January 20 in Uyo for allegedly robbing his female victim of cash, phones, and other valuables.
The police said it also arrested one Victor Effiong, Gregory Sam, and their female partner, Chichi Okoro Jackson for running a syndicate which allegedly specialises in using Keke (tricycle) to rob people in Uyo.
The Akwa Ibom police chief said some of the suspects have been charged to court, while others are still being investigated.
“On assumption of duty two months ago, I assured the good people of Akwa Ibom State of their safety, peace, and security. I also warned criminal elements to desist from criminality or leave the State because the command under my watch will have zero tolerance for criminality,” the police commissioner said.
“Today, Akwa Ibom State still remains one of the most peaceful States in the country. This we have achieved via broadening our intelligence gathering mechanisms, increased visibility policing, enhancing community-based policing approach and massive deployment of personnel on a need basis, and working in synergy with sister security agencies and the state government.”
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