July 23, (THEWILL) – The Akwa Ibom State Police Command has arrested a four-man robbery gang that killed an Inspector and another officer guarding a hotel along Nung Udoe Road in Ibesikpo Asutan Local Government Area.
The police also arrested a three-man robbery gang that specialises in destroying bank ATMs and carting away millions of naira at different locations across the state.
Parading the suspects in Uyo on Friday, the Police Public Relations Officer, SP Odiko Mcdon, said operatives of the Anti-Robbery Squad on a tipoff traced the robbers to a popular Eatery along Brooks Street in Uyo where they attempted to destroy another ATM machine after they had removed N8 million from another location.
He said one policeman was shot dead at the hotel during the robbery operations while the other died in an undisclosed hospital
Those arrested included: Praise Sunday Nwagu from Elelenwo Village in Obio Akpor Local Government Area in Rivers State, Tony Uche Ambrose from Ikeduru Council Area of Imo State and others.
Mcdon disclosed that items recovered from them included: Two gas cylinders filled with gas, two welding machines, spanners and one customs coloured Toyota Corolla car with registration number BRR 437 RM.
Mcdon further disclosed that two murder suspects, Blessing James Akpan and Akara Udo, who battered and killed a woman, Mfon Ekpembe, in Ikot Akpa Nkuk, Ukanafun, and later absconded to Etche in Rivers State were arrested.
He said the Anti-Robbery Squad also arrested a car snatching syndicate and recovered locally-made pistols and stolen vehicles.
“The suspects were fingered in attacks on provision shops and pedestrians along Aka Road and its environment in Uyo. The suspects confessed to serial attacks on innocent pedestrians including robbing and gang-raping a lady last month. A locally-made shotgun was recovered from the principal suspect.
“Also, operatives of Quick Unit of the state police command, while on routine patrol along Atai Obio Offot Road in Uyo arrested one Matthias Anthony Ekong, Akwaowo Etim Emmah and Ubong Ededem, loading bags of sand in a Mercedes Benz Car on the pretext of loading Unicem cement.”
Mcdon maintained that all the suspects would be charged to court as the State Commissioner of Police, Andrew Amiengheme, will not spare any resources to ensure that crime and criminality are brought down in the state.
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