Police Arrest 30-year-old Car Snatcher In Calabar

Cross River State Police Command has arrested 30-year-old Mr. Akaniyene Sunday Edem after he and his gang members snatched a Toyota Jeep Highlander at gunpoint from one Mrs. Wofi Eshiet Joshua of 16A Azikima Street, Spring Road, Calabar, on September 12, 2025 at 4 pm.

Police peputy public relations officer, Mr. Igiri Ewa, disclosed this to LEADERSHIP in a telephone conversation yesterday.

Ewa said the suspect, who is a native of Nkwot Nsit village of Nsit Ibiom LGA in Akwa Ibom State, was later arrested by the police, while other gang members escaped after the police gave them a hot chase along Odukpani, Calabar -Itu federal highway.

“The vehicle was dispossessed from the owner, Mrs. Wofi Eshiet Joshua of 16A Azikima street Spring road, Calabar at about 1607hrs of 12th September, 2025.

“A distress telephone call received by the Command about the incident caused the Commissioner of Police, Mr. Bello Afegbua, to order a lockdown.”

A statement from the Police Public Relations Officer, Police PPRO Irene Ugbo, dated September 14,2025, sighted by LEADERSHIP stated that men of the command swung into action after the distress call.

“This paid off, as men from 11 Pmf Calabar along Odukpani Road flagged down the suspected stolen jeep on its way to Akwa-Ibom State, but the hoodlums refused to stop.

” They were given a hot chase which made them to abandoned the jeep with Reg.no-Kaduna-DKA-759-KY and escaped into the nearby bush where one of them was arrested.”

In another development at Ugep community in Yakkur local government area of the state, at about 1740hrs September 13, 2025, the Divisional Police officer, with the assistance of members of the community, also arrested a. 21-year-old Mr. Godswill Okoi of Ijima street, who was suspected to be a member of Vikings Confraternity.

The items recovered from him include a locally fabricated Pistol, two BB cartridges, charms, one black bag, and a cash amount of seven thousand naira only.

The state commissioner of police , CP Rashid Bello Afegbua, lauded his men for prompt response to incidents, and urged members of the public to see it as a responsibility to provide useful information to the police for effective policing to make the state safe.