Police arrest suspected militants with IED, grenades
The Akwa Ibom State Police Command has arrested three suspected militants and recovered two rocket propelled grenades and one Improvised Explosive Device (IED). Parading the suspects in Uyo, the Police Public Relations Officer, ASP Cordelia Nwanwe, said the arrested militants had specialised in vandalizing oil pipelines.
She said the suspects were arrested by men of the Anti-Robbery Unit at the Modern City Hotel in Eket Local Government Area, while planning to carry out the criminal act.
But the suspects, Nelson Siminifa,32, from Bayelsa, Victor Emmanuel, 34 and Nsiebong Dickson, 38, are both from Akwa Ibom, denied the allegation.
Nelson, who said he was a repentant militant, noted that he was in Akwa Ibom to see his girlfriend while Emmanuel and Dickson claimed they were in the hotel to watch a football match.
Also paraded was a four-man gang that specialises in stealing motorcycles in Ini Local Government Area of the state.
The suspects, Ithowo Ikebem,19, and Idorenyin Monday Sunday, 22, claimed to be innocent.
They said they were arrested at a market in Ini, after they were mistakenly branded as thieves by a woman.
The other two suspects, Ekayineyen Effiong and Udeme Effiong confessed to the crime.
It was gathered that they were nabbed by the police after a motorcycle they had allegedly stolen was spotted at the house of one of the suspects.
Nwanwe warned criminals to desist from crime or leave Akwa Ibom State, adding that the Commissioner of Police, Murtala Mani, is committed to ridding the state of criminal elements.