Akwa Ibom State Police Command says it has uncovered an armoury in a private mortuary at Ekeya, Okobo local government area of the state.
The Commissioner of Police, CP Waheed Ayilara, who stated this while briefing newsmen at the command headquarters, Ikot Akpabio, Uyo, on Monday, said the operatives stormed the place (mortuary) on intelligence following the arrest of a kidnapping syndicate.
He said the syndicate led by a wanted kidnapper, one Ubong Effiong Archibong, also known as ‘Condiment’, was allegedly responsible for the kidnapping and killing of several persons in the state.
He said, “Operatives of the Command through credible information and a painstaking investigation recovered firearms and ammunition used by a notorious kidnapping syndicate led by a wanted kidnapper, one Ubong Effiong Archibong, a.k.a Condiment.
“The kidnapping syndicate is responsible for the kidnapping and killing of several persons.
“The said firearms were recovered at a private mortuary being used as the armoury at Ekeya, Okobo L.G.A.
“The firearms are: Two (2) AK-47 Rifles, Two (2) G3 Rifles, One (1) Double Barrel Rifle, One (1) Single Barrel Rifle, Five (5) Magazines and Seven (7) Live Ammunitions.”
The commissioner also paraded 23-year-old Daniel Edem Okon, who was said to have engaged a commercial motorcyclist (Okada rider) from Idoro road to Mbikpon Ikot Edin and on getting to a lonely path, hacked the rider to death, buried him in a shallow grave in the area and escaped with his motorcycle.
“On 12/7/2024 at about 8:30 pm Operatives of the command on routine patrol accosted two suspects, one Daniel Edem Okon ‘m’ 23yrs and Samaila Salisu ‘m’ 20yrs on a motorcycle without Identification Number along Timber Market, Uyo.
“After rigorous interrogation, the rider confessed that on 11/7/2024 at about 9:00pm, he paid a commercial cyclist on a ride from Idoro Road to Mbikpon Ikot Edim.
“On getting to a lonely area he hacked the rider to death with a machete. Thereafter, he buried him in a shallow grave and went away with the motorcycle.
“The decomposed body of the victim later identified as one Saviour Anthony Effiong ‘m’ aged 45yrs has been exhumed and deposited at a morgue,” he said.
Ayilara also paraded other suspects who allegedly committed various crimes such as kidnapping, rape, trafficking, vandalism, among others and said that all the suspects would be arraigned in court upon completion of investigations.
He thanked the people, government and sister security agencies for their collaborative efforts in fighting crime and insecurity, urging them to maintain the tempo.