The Akwa Ibom State Police Command has rescued five children reportedly abducted from their mother in Ibiono Ibom Local Government Area.
The children were said to have been taken by an unidentified man on a motorcycle but were recovered unhurt and reunited with their mother following swift police intervention.
The Commissioner of Police, Joseph Eribo, disclosed this during a press briefing in Uyo on Tuesday.
He stated that the incident occurred on November 14, 2024, when the Command received a distress call from the mother of the children, reporting their abduction.
Acting on the report, police operatives, assisted by local villagers from Mbiakpan Ikot Idim and Obio Ibiono, pursued and arrested the suspect, identified as Promise Boniface, at Obio Ibiono.
The motorcycle allegedly used in the crime was also recovered.
The suspect, however, denied the allegations, claiming he found the children wandering and took them to his house for safety.
According to Boniface, the children remained with him for about two hours due to rain, and he had informed his landlord of the situation.
In a related development, the State Police Commissioner revealed that operatives raided a gun-making factory in the state, arresting one suspect, David Nse Emmanuel, while other suspects fled.
Recovered from the factory were seven single-barrel guns, five double-barrel guns, a special steel double-trigger pistol, a broken single-barrel gun, and various materials used for fabricating firearms.
Eribo also reported the arrest of a serial car thief, Kingsley Ernest Nelson, who had been previously remanded for similar offenses.
Items recovered from him included a Toyota Sienna with registration number DUU 692NZ, a Toyota Rav4 with registration number ETN 676AA, master keys for vehicle theft, and six fake car documents.
The Commissioner reassured residents that the Command remains committed to combating crime, protecting lives, and ensuring the safety of citizens across the state.
