Operatives of the Akwa Ibom State Police Command have smashed a gunrunning and terrorism syndicate specialising in kidnapping, armed robbery and renting out arms for sundry crimes.
The commissioner of police (CP), Waheed Ayilara, while parading the suspect at the Ikot Akpanabia State Command, near Uyo, the state capital, said a fake mortuary was used as amoury to store the weapons.
“Through credible information and a painstaking investigation our operatives have 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 local government area. The firearms are two AK-47 rifles, two G3 rifles, one double barrel rifle, one single barrel rifle, five magazines and seven life ammunitions,” he recalled.
Also paraded was a 56-year-old woman, identified as Eunice Eze, operating a registered orphanage centre in Imo State, but surreptitiously converted into a baby factory where her agent lured young girls from Akwa Ibom State and trafficked them to the centre, where they are impregnated and the babies sold to willing buyers at prices ranging from N600,000 to N800,000.
“Based on actionable intelligence, one Eunice Eze, 56, was arrested at the World Bank Estate in Owerri, Imo State, for running a baby factory. The suspect specilises in stealing babies and pregnant girls through her agent, one Ability Tom, 10 pregnant girls were rescued,” he said.
One Samuel Edu, a landlord in Essien Udim LGA, was alleged to have raped his tenant, a female NYSC member servicing in the area, the CP said he would soon have his day in court.
„At about 3:15pm, a National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) member residing at Ukana Iba village in Essien Udim LGA, reported that at about 3:00am, one Paul Samuel Edu, 44 years (her landlord‘s son) came knocking at her door.
„That on opening the door, the said Paul threatened her with a machete, and directed her to follow him to his room for a talk or else he would harm her. On reaching the suspect‘s room, he bolted the door, tore her clothes and had carnal knowledge without her consent.
„Suspect was arrested, one matchete and a slaughter knife was recovered from him. Investigation is ongoing,“ he stressed.
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