Akwa Ibom State Commissioner of Police, CP Baba Mohammad Azare has warned that the law on open grazing will be followed to the letter to ensure compliance with its provisions even as defaulters would face the full wrath of the law.
The police commissioner gave the warning during his maiden press briefing as the 34th commissioner of police in the state on Monday, at the Command Headquarters, Ikot Akpan Abia, Uyo.
“The state has a law on grazing, and we will ensure full compliance with its provisions. Anyone arrested in connection with these crimes will be prosecuted to the full extent of the law.
“I assure you that the Akwa Ibom State Police Command is committed to addressing the security challenges facing our state. We are aware of issues such as Fulani herdsmen encroaching on farms and destroying crops, as well as senseless attacks on Fulani cows by troublemakers. Let it be clear that the Police will not fold their arms and allow miscreants to unleash terror on law-abiding citizens.
“We are also addressing the issue of communal clashes. As part of our strategic approach, we have begun profiling the sponsors of these clashes to ensure they are held accountable for their actions. The youth in such areas must be protected from exploitation by selfish individuals”. The police boss stated.
Azare however said to achieve the set goals, there is need for the support and cooperation of all stakeholders, particularly traditional rulers, the media, and other partners in the state.
“Akwa Ibom must be free from all forms of criminal activity. This is our mission. We believe that community policing is key to maintaining peace and security, and we cannot achieve this alone.
“We need your help to identify and address the root causes of crime and insecurity in our communities. We will also strengthen our partnership with Ibom Community Watch personnel to achieve desired results”. He stressed.
He recalled that during his first official visit to the state Governor, he decried on the rising cases of vandalization of Public transformers and infrastructural facilities across the state.
He said this has propelled the command to step up her efforts to nip the crime and in the bud and arrest the perpetrators of this act.
“On this note we have arrested one Prosper Brownson Jim ‘m’ and one Uduak Sunday Benson ‘m’ for vandalization of a transformer belonging to Sure Foundation Polytechnic situated at Ikot Atai, Ukanafun Local Government.
“Transformer Oil valued at about N800, 000.00 (eight hundred thousand naira) was drained, and armured cables valued at about N3.5m (Three million five hundred thousand naira) stolen among other items were recovered by the command, even as the case will soon be charge to court.
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According to credible information from a Good Samaritan, four fire service trucks belonging to the state were stolen and taken to Port Harcourt, Rivers State, by some officials of the service. In response, the command took action to recover the trucks.
The Commissioner of Police (CP) revealed that further investigation showed the fire trucks had been leased to several multinational companies at a rate of N140,000 per truck, per day, for an initial period of three years. The share for the company involved was N80,000, while the share for the fire service officials was N60,000 per truck, per day.
“The investigation reveals that the deal was done in 2021 and was expected to terminate by 2024. However, about two months to the expiration of the deal the command acted and recovered the vehicles.
“The four suspects arrested in the case will be charged to court soon while the trucks will be release to Government to continue to serve the good people of the state while those at large are being trailed.
“You may recalled that some time in December 2024, a distress call was received that a Director with the Ministry of Justice, Akwa Ibom State, and his niece (name withheld) were kidnapped by five armed men. Our operatives in the Command immediately swung into action and busted the kidnapper’s den in a thick forest located within Ikot Ukpong Village, Abak Local Government.
” A thorough search was conducted within the forest, and the victims were rescued unharmed from an abandoned soak-away .The victim’s car was also recovered by the police along Etinan Road where it had been abandoned.
“Also, the Toyota Sienna vehicle used to kidnap the victims was also recovered while 2 of the suspects were neutralized. Further Investigation led to the arrest of one Ability Etim Samuel ‘m’ (aged 45 years) and one David Vincent Samuel ‘m’ (aged 36 years).They are currently been investigated with the view to making more arrest of their gang members to recover their weapons.
Azare noted that in collective resolved to combat crimes and criminality in the state, the command has arrested a total of 10 tricycles operators operating in Ewet Housing Estate between the hours of 1:30am to 3 am in the Morning.
“These group of Tricycles operators specialize in conveying items stolen from the estate for the criminals, some equally operate during these hours mainly to either robbed residents, steals generators and other valuables from the residents or vandalize transformers and also steal armured cables”.
He says Investigation and the public will be kept abreast of the outcome in due course”.
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