By Kayode Sanni-Arewa

Akwa Ibom State Police Command has arrested four suspected fake Economic Financial Crimes Commission officers while planning to abduct and collect N150 million ransom from their victim (name withheld).

Parading the suspects alongside other suspects at the command headquarters in Ikot Akpanabia, Uyo, Akwa Ibom State capital on Monday, the Commissioner of Police, CP Waheed Ayilara, said the principal suspect, Emmanuel Akpayak, masterminded the kidnap of the would-be victim whom he owed over N12 million as he tried to extort money from him and subsequently kill him to evade repayment of his debt.

He listed the suspects to include one Emmanuel Augustine Akpayak ‘m’ aged 27yrs, Echem Ovurizichi Weneka ‘m’ aged 27yrs, Promise Udofia ‘m’ aged 28yrs and Jeremiah Johnson Okon ‘m’ 38yrs.

According to the CP, “Investigation revealed that Emmanuel Augustine Akpayak had arranged for the kidnap and killing of the would-be victim by engaging men on arms and procuring EFCC vest/uniform for the Operation.

“Victim was invited and a search was conducted at the principal suspect’s house where four pairs of EFCC vests were recovered. Information at hand indicates that the suspect transacted the business of selling cars with the would-be victim and owed the victim about Twelve Million Naira (N12,000,000.00), inorder to evade the repayment of debt, the suspect hired armed men to kidnap, extort the sum of One Hundred and Fifty Million Naira (N150,000,000.00) and also kill the victim thereafter but the Operation was foiled. Suspects will have their day in court.”

In an interview with the principal suspect, Akpayak, he claimed that the intending victim was his business associate to whom he owed some money but hired ” boys” who were issuing threats to him.

He noted that attempts to make his associate come to a round table discussion failed hence he resorted to getting an EFCC vest from an online vendor to give to his syndicate who posed as officials to arrest the man and force him to bring N150 mllion as he alleged that the would-be victim is rich and into internet fraud.

The Commissioner also paraded suspected advance fee fraudsters who have been swindling POS operators in Uyo.

“On 21/06/2024 at about 7:00 pm, one Glory Uko Okon ‘f’ of Afaha Ikot Obio Nkan Village, Ibesikpo Asutan LGA, called in through the emergency hotline and alleged that one Donald Ita Nyong ‘m’, Rex Clement Uso ‘m’ and one Kingsley Mathias Joekim POS syndicates came to her POS stand at Udo Udoma Avenue Uyo, pretended to make a withdrawal of N10,000 and while she made the withdrawal to the suspects, one of the suspects gave her N3,200 to deposit into an Opay account which she tried three times and the transaction was unsuccessful, the suspects mounted pressure on her which made her give out the POS machine to the suspect’s to type in the account number and before she could realise.

“The suspects had withdrawn the sum of N320,000.00 from her machine and quickly jumped into their waiting car and zoomed off. Suspects were arrested, they all made useful statements and have confessed to the crime.”

The police boss also paraded child trafficking syndicates saying that the command acting on intelligence arrested one Michael Emmanuel Edet ‘m’, Ability Henry Tom ‘f’ and one Uwem Udoh Moses ‘f’ from their hideouts within Ibesikpo and Aka Etinan road for stealing a child (name withheld) ‘m’ 12yrs while he was hawking groundnut along Oron road and was taken to Ovum Community in Obingwa L.G.A Abia State

He said the child was sold out for the sum of Four Hundred Thousand Naira (N400,000) to one Loveth Nkwankwo ‘f’ of Ovum Community, Obingwa L.G.A.

He added that further investigation led to the arrest of the said Loveth Nkwakwo in Abia State saying that the suspects confessed to the crime and promised to help arrest other fleeing members in their syndicate even as he disclosed that the victim was rescued and with others.

Ayilara noted that all suspects would be charged in court at the end of investigations and urged the people of Akwa Ibom to always provide the police with useful information that would help in the eradication of crime and criminal elements in the State.

While thanking Governor Umo Eno for his massive support to police, the Commissioner said he shall leave no stone unturned in ensuring security and peace in the state.