Police Arrest Suspected Armed Robber, Recover Locally Made Pistol in Akwa Ibom

The Akwa Ibom State Police Command has arrested a suspected armed robber and recovered a locally made pistol during a stop-and-search operation in Uyo.

The Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), DSP Timfon John, disclosed this in a statement issued on behalf of the Commissioner of Police, Baba Mohammed Azare, on Monday in Uyo.

John said the suspect, identified as Edidiong Udoeyen, was arrested at about 10:30 p.m. on Saturday along the Mayflower axis of Oron Road after police operatives responded to a distress call from a resident of Ikot Okubo Village, Uyo Local Government Area, reporting the activities of suspected armed robbers.

He said the operatives, working in collaboration with members of the community youth, cordoned off the area and carried out a search operation, leading to the arrest of the suspect and the recovery of a medium-sized locally fabricated pistol.

According to the police spokesman, other members of the suspected gang escaped on sighting the police, adding that a manhunt had been launched to apprehend the fleeing suspects.

John said the suspect remained in police custody and would be thoroughly investigated to determine his level of involvement in the alleged criminal activities and to uncover other members of the criminal network.

The commissioner commended members of the community for providing timely information that contributed to the success of the operation, reaffirming the command’s commitment to intelligence-led policing and urging residents to continue supporting the police with credible information.