- Safiu Kehinde
The Akwa-Ibom State Police Command has detained the Head of Asik Ubofa Village, Effiat Clan, Mbo Local Government Area, over alleged illegal possession of firearm.
This was disclosed in a statement issued on Wednesday by the Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Timfon John, in Uyo, the state’s capital city.
According to John, the village head was arrested by the police command following credible intelligence that he was illegally in possession of firearm.
In reaction, the Commissioner of Police, CP Baba Azare, directed a coordinated operation to verify the information.
“Our detectives swung into action by storming the suspect’s location on Tuesday and successfully recovered one AK-47 rifle and two empty magazines,” John said.
The police spokesperson further said that the suspect was currently in police custody for further investigation on the matter.
“The command’s intention is to ascertain the source of the firearm, determine the suspect’s motives, and apprehend other possible accomplices,” she said.
John reiterated the command’s commitment to tackling the issue of illegal possession of arms in the state.
“Individuals that are unlawfully in possession of firearms should voluntarily surrender them or face the full weight of the law,” she said.
The spokesperson commended members of the public for their continued support and synergy with the police, saying,” we urged you to sustain the flow of timely and credible information to security agencies”