Judex Okoro, Calabar
The Cross River State police command has arrested 28 suspects for various offences ranging from, murder, kidnapping to robbery.
The suspects paraded by the police command included six persons for alleged robbery, three for stealing/conspiracy, eight for murder and one for alleged involvement in militant activity.
Also arrested were two suspects for cultism, one for alleged kidnapping, one for impersonation/forgery, three for defilement and three for unlawful possession of firearms.
Two vehicles were also recovered by men of the command.
One of the suspects, a kidnap kingpin, Micheal Etim Okon, 27, (aka Aso Rock), is said to have been behind the kidnap of prominent persons in Akpabuyo and Bakassi local government areas of the state, while Emmanuel Okon, 40, an indigene of Akamkpa, was said to have allegedly beaten his son, Eteobong Emmanuel, eight to death for eating a portage yam kept for him.
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The state Police Commissioner, Austin Agbonlahor, who spoke with journalists through the state Police Public Relations Officer, PPRO, Irene Ugbo, shortly after parading the 34 suspected criminals, said they were arrested across the state due to the hard work of men and officers of the command.
Agbonlahor said the suspects would be charged to the court upon completion of investigations, adding that the kidnap kingpin had confessed to the crime during interrogation.
The police commissioner said the success of the command’s feat in crime prevention and control within the period under review showed that the 28 suspects picked by the police were found with exhibits including six locally-made pistols, live ammunition, charms, and television sets.
Other exhibits discovered included two 100kva generators and two J5 vehicles with registration numbers ABJ 719XNX and SKA 306XA, adding that the command would do all within its reach to track down persons found wanting.
Speaking, the suspected kidnapper, Okon aka Aso Rock, denied allegations that he had been responsible for most of the kidnap incidents in the state but admitted he only kidnapped once.
Speaking in pidgin English, Etim said: “I no dey kidnap people anyhow ooh. It is the first time I just kidnapped someone and I was caught. Na my friends wey call me say make I come kidnap the person.”
He pleaded for leniency and appealed to the police authorities to let him go so that he can assist the police fish out other colleagues who are in their hideouts at the creeks.
He also admitted nicknaming himself a “militant” so as to scare people away from him.