Reported by: Ijeoma G | Edited by: Oravbiere Osayomore Promise.
Operatives of the Akwa Ibom State Police Command have arrested a suspected armed robber and recovered two locally made pistols and two machetes during a follow-up operation in Ibiono Ibom Local Government Area, following a violent attack on a police officer. The arrest, confirmed in a statement on Sunday, September 21, 2026, by the Command's Public Relations Officer, DSP Timfon John, stemmed from a distress alert received by the Command's Control Room around 5 a.m. on September 14, 2026, reporting a violent attack at Ikot Ekweng Village in the area.
The patrol team that responded to the alert met Inspector Henry, who alleged that he had been attacked by a man identified as Ini Mfon. According to preliminary information, Mfon allegedly attacked the officer with a machete while attempting to dispossess him of his tricycle. The officer sustained an injury to his right hand during the attack. The operatives subsequently launched a follow-up operation and traced the suspect to his residence, where he was arrested. A search of the premises led to the recovery of two locally made pistols and two machetes, which were taken into police custody as exhibits.
DSP Timfon John said the recovery of the firearms and other dangerous weapons had widened the scope of the investigation. Detectives are working to establish the source of the weapons, determine whether they had been used in previous criminal operations, and ascertain whether the suspect was linked to other criminal elements or syndicates operating within or outside Ibiono Ibom. The suspect remains in police custody and is assisting with the investigation.
The Commissioner of Police, Akwa Ibom State Command, Baba Mohammed Azare, commended the operatives for their prompt response, courage and professionalism. Azare said the arrest and recovery underscored the command's determination to confront violent crime and illegal firearms through intelligence-led policing and targeted operations. He said the command would sustain aggressive patrols, targeted raids and other lawful operations aimed at recovering illegal weapons and dismantling criminal networks across the state. The CP warned persons involved in armed robbery, illegal possession of firearms and other violent crimes that the state would not provide a haven for criminal elements. He also urged residents to promptly report suspicious persons, criminal hideouts and the possession, movement or circulation of illegal firearms in their communities. The command assured the public that credible information supplied to the police would be treated with utmost confidentiality.
The arrest is the latest in a series of operations by the Akwa Ibom State Police Command targeting armed robbery and illegal firearms in the state. In the early hours of Thursday, September 17, 2026, operatives dismantled a suspected armed robbery network operating across Ikono, Ini and Obot Akara Local Government Areas, arresting six suspects and recovering two single-barrel shotguns, three laptops, a suspected stolen motorcycle, and fetish materials from a shrine allegedly belonging to a native doctor who provided charms to the gang. The Command's sustained offensive reflects a broader strategy of intelligence-led policing and inter-agency collaboration aimed at denying criminal elements the freedom to operate in Akwa Ibom State. Investigation into the Ibiono Ibom case is ongoing, and the suspect will be charged to court upon its conclusion.
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