No less than 10 suspected kidnappers were apprehended by Police operatives acting on intelligence as they raided a forest in Ibiono Ibom local government area of Akwa Ibom State.
A report by Leadership newspaper said the criminals were laying ambush for Chinese expatriates working for the China Civil Engineering Construction Company (CCECC) when they were nabbed.
The site of the construction firm, it was learnt, is located on the Ibiono Ibom/ Ikono axis of the Calabar – Itu Highway currently undergoing reconstruction by CCECC, Julius Berger and other indigenous companies.
According to the youth leader of the area, Comrade Ubong Etim, the arrest was made in the early hours of yesterday, Friday when the tactical Police squad stormed the two forests along the Ibiono Ibom axis of the Calabar-Itu-Ikot Ekpene Federal Highway, “where the suspects were using as their hideout and camp for keeping kidnapped victims, while negotiating for ransom.”
However, efforts to reach the Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), SP Odiko Ogbecehe-Macdon were fruitless as he could neither pick nor return calls to his phone, but a senior Police officer, who confirmed the arrest but pleaded anonymity, explained that “the Police were able to successfully raid the forests after days of monitoring and surveillance on the community.”
He added that “the criminals were overpowered in a gun battle, which lasted for hours.”
The officer disclosed that 4 AK-47 rifles, some locally made pistols, and objects suspected to be charms were recovered from the suspects who have been transferred to the state headquarters at Ikot Akpanabia, near Uyo, “for interrogation and prosecution.”