By Jonathan Ugbal and Ikwen Atuaka
The Police in Cross River State Thursday said it has arrested Hope Usang, 25, a suspected female armourer who leases arms to suspected robbers in Calabar, the state capital.
The command also confirmed Friday morning, the arrest of 5 suspected kidnappers in Obanliku local government area on Thursday following a tip off from a source after they had abducted a 6 year old pupil on Wednesday in Obudu as well as the release of a hotelier, George Imanyi who was kidnapped in Obudu last week with the suspects also arrested.
The Commissioner of Police, Hafiz Inuwa while briefing newsmen said that 21 other suspects have also been arrested at different locations across the state as the command will not tolerate any form of arms proliferation as it strives to build a safe Cross River State reports the Vanguard Newspaper.
Explaining how Ms Usang was arrested after a robbery incident involving one Paschal Bisong of Ekpenyong Effiok street in Calabar Municipality, CP Inuwa said that; “On February 24, following a report by one Paschal Bisong of a robbery attack, my men swung into action, leading to the arrest of two suspects, Emmanuel Edet-Etim and Idoreyin Usa.
“The suspects confessed that one Hope Usang supplied them with arms for the robbery. When my men stormed Usang’s house, they recovered three revolvers, four rounds of ammunition, one pistol, one locally-made pistol among others.”
CP Inuwa said the suspects will soon be charged to court accordingly and listed some of the offences of the 21 other arrested suspects to include robbery, rape, kidnapping, murder, cultism, illegal possession of fire arms among others.
However, Usang denied proliferating arms. She said that the guns found in her house belong to her boyfriend, a student, whose name she did not divulge
“The guns belong to my boyfriend, a student. I never knew that he was keeping some guns in my house,” she said.
Meanwhile, the Police Public Relations Officer in the State, ASP Irene Ugbo confirmed the release of George Imanyi, a hotelier in Obudu who was kidnapped on March 1, 2017 with the suspects arrested.
CrossRiverWatch gathered that Mr. Imanyi was released without paying ransom following a phone call trace with one of his staff arrested as an accomplice. Details surrounding the release were still unclear as at press time.
ASP Ugbo also confirmed to CrossRiverWatch that 5 suspects were arrested Thursday morning in Bishiri, Obanliku local government area by the Police after they kidnapped a 6 year old pupil of St. Joseph’s school for the visually handicapped a day earlier in Obudu.
Preliminary information obtained by CrossRiverWatch shows that one (pictured below with placard) hails from Ohong village in Obudu while the other four hail from Benue state.
CrossRiverWatch had earlier reported based on facts obtained by our correspondent from sources in the Police that 4 were arrested instead of 5.
