Kidnap kingpin arrested in Cross River

Operation Akpakwu, the new security outfit unveiled last week by Cross River State Governor, Benedict Ayade, has started arresting some kidnappers, who have been terrorising Calabar and its environs in recent times.

A statement issued yesterday by Special Adviser to the governor on Media and Publicity, Christian Ita, revealed that the security outfit, which was mandated to rid the state of kidnappers and other criminal elements, arrested a notorious kidnapper, Etim Etim Bassey and some members of his gang.

Bassey and his gang members were nabbed following intelligence report, while another gang of daredevil kidnappers met their waterloo following their arrest by operatives of Operation Akpakwu around Mary Slessor Roundabout in Calabar.

The kidnappers, who had emerged from a vehicle, seized a middle-aged man waiting for a taxi on the roadside and sped off with him.

But Operation Akpakwu patrol team gave the kidnappers a hot chase, prompting them to abandon their victim opposite the Cross River State Ministry of Information and fled to the adjacent Spar Shopping Mall where they mixed with other shoppers.

However, in their determination to arrest the abductors, operatives of Operation Akpakwu cordoned off the Shopping Mall and eventually arrested them.

Meanwhile, security agents attached to Operation Akpakwu have commenced house-to- house search for kidnappers and other criminal elements in Calabar, as the Cross River State Government sought residents’ cooperation and understanding in the stop and search operations.

While unveiling the security outfit, Governor Ayade had declared war on kidnappers and other criminals in the state, asking them to relocate from Cross River, especially Calabar or face the state government’s wrath.

The Cross River State Police Command had smashed a three-man robbery gang and recovered a 2018 Toyota Corolla marked: EPE 2010 FQ.

They had already put up the car worth about N8m for sale for only N1 million in Uyo, Akwa Ibom state before the crack team spearheaded by the Anti- Kidnapping/Cultism Team tracked the gang from Calabar to Uyo where they were apprehended.

The victim, John Ikechukwu, a staff of Northwest Petroleum was robbed at his house in Calabar.

The State Commissioner of Police (CP), Abdulkadir Jimoh said the Command would not relent in ridding Cross River State of criminals, adding: “In line with our open door policy as it concerns information sharing, we are ready to carry the people along in our efforts to make the state crime-free.” (The Guardian)