by crossriverwatch admin
The sustained vigilance of undercover police operatives with the Cross River State Police Command successfully arrested a gang of heavily armed militants and nipped in the bud their plans to strike Calabar during the annual Calabar Festival and disrupt the festivities.
The Cross River State Police Commissioner, Mr Kola Sodipo said Friday afternoon in Calabar that the duo of Daniel Sunday, 25, and Prophet Friday, 19 were arrested on the 24th of December at Ikang, Bakassi with 800 live AK 47 ammunition, 7.62mm and 634v rounds of general purpose machine gun , GPMG, ammunition, 56 mm and 632 live assault rifle ammunition. “Their arrest aborted their plans to unleash havoc in the city during the annual Calabar Festival”.
Mr Kola Sodipo said explosive devices mounted by another set of militants, Eyo Okokon Nsa and-Peter Ibe during the period at Atan , at Odukpani in the outskirts of Calabar would have caused severe havoc and disruption to the festivities had the police not uncovered the nefarious plans and carry out immediate detonation of the devices.
“110 pieces of dynamite fuses, nine bags of ammonium nitrate used to prepare the explosive devices were recovered and the suspects arrested and they confessed to the crime”. Sodipo said.
During the period, according to the Police Commissioner, a total of eleven armed robbery suspects were arrested by the police in various parts of the state. The suspects include David Nse Abasi, Colins Okoh and Aka Jerome who blocked Mkpani / Ekori road in the Central Senatorial, District and robbed several persons including one David Onovo of 79,000,00 naira. Other suspects arrested include Simon Michael Agba, Samson Kalu, Abosi whop robbed Iheme Tochukwu, the manager of Tolik Filling Station in Ikom of 57,000. 00.
Commissioner Sodipo said the sum of 278,000 00 was recovered from one robbery suspect, Godwin Samuel who robbed Chijoke Samuel of 2 Oti Ansa Street while the police also recovered 350,000.00 from three other robbery suspects: Edem Basey Effiong, Emmanuel Nkalu and Aliyu Umaru who robbed a recharge card seller, Ime Stephenwho resides at the Basin Authority Calabar.
“They robbed Imeh Stephen of Basin Authority at gun ;point of recharge card Valued at 250,000.00, and cash of 350,000.00m naira ; in their possession was also 7 live ammunition, Army Uniform, recharge cards and handsets”.
Mr Sodipo said a total of 48 locally made pistols were recovered from criminals while 3,893 arrests were made with 955 prosecutions made in 2013. “With increased visibility, intensive foot and vehicular patrols, sustained raiding of black spots, and collaboration with residents of the state, the police would not relent in bringing crime to its barest minimum”.
He reiterated that traning and retraining is being intensified by the Command to sharpen the ability of his men in adopting proactive community measures in carrying out surveillance and community initiatives in order to comply with directives from the ‘Police High Command to win the war against crime and terrorism”.
follow us on twitter @crossriverwatch