By Kingston Obung
Calabar
The Commissioner of Police, Cross River state Command, Jimoh Ozi-Obeh, has said that cultists, armed robbers, kidnappers and other criminals were meeting dead end in the state as the police intensify their operation.
Ozi-Obeh, who addressed journalists on activities of his command in combating criminalities head-long, yesterday, said the stop-and-search, as well as rapid response operations of his men and officers were paying off incredibly.
He said his men were recording huge success in curtailing activities of criminal elements, but that such feat could not have been possible without the public private partnership approach through intelligence gathering and sharing.
According to him, within the period under review, a total number of 15 suspects were arrested with various offences and that they were arrested with “15 live ammunition, 10 rounds of .9mm live ammunition, six locally made pistols and five live cartridges.”
He said some of the criminal super lords might have relocated since it has become obvious that they could not withstand the superior fire power of the police which had mounted manhunt for them.
He gave the names of two kidnappers picked up by his men as Patrick Richard Etok and Richard Richard Etok, and that two locally made revolver pistol, one locally made berretta pistol and ten rounds of .9mm live ammunition were found on them.
Mgbeje George Uguge, Wisdom Udie Betian, Julius Afakel, Victor Williams, Effiong Eyibio Effiong, David Effiong Ben, Ndifreke Idaresit, Felix Edet Joshua, Udo Udo Okon were also arrested in various places across the State for armed robbery.
Suspected cultists, said to be members of Klansman Confraternity, KK, and allegedly involved in robbery also were paraded too. Those within this category included Alfred Nsini Effiong, Akaninyene Effiong Udoh, Ekpom Asuquo Ndem and Andrew Bassey.
“The Command will leave no stone un-turned in ridding the state of activities of miscreants. I, therefore, want to use this medium to warn all criminals and perpetrators of heinous crime to steer clear as they will not be spared.”