…to be arraigned soon
The Police Command in Akwa Ibom State, has paraded a woman who faked her kidnap to extort money from her aunty abroad and 52 other suspects at the Police Headquarters, Ikot Akpan Abia.
According to the Police Commissioner of Akwa Ibom State, Waheed Ayilara said a report was received from a woman named Enobong Sampson of Nung Oku Village in Ibesikpo Asutan L.G.A that her sister, Imaobong Francis Sampson, had been kidnapped and that the kidnappers were demanding a ransom of four million naira.
In response, the Anti-Kidnapping Squad of the command launched an intense and intelligence-driven investigation in order to track down the perpetrators and rescue the victim. On March 12, 2024, at approximately 11:15 p.m., both the purported victim, the woman’s sister Imaobong Sampson and her boyfriend, Beltus Ebong, were arrested at their hideout in Mbierebe Obio Village in Ibesikpo Asutan L.G.A.
Upon questioning, the two suspects confessed that they fabricated the kidnapping story in order to raise money from the victim’s family. They also admitted to having called the victim’s family and demanded four million naira in ransom. Both suspects will have a filled day in court.
The Police boss also revealed that on Wednesday, the police arrested a man in Uruting village, Okobo Local Government Area, for allegedly killing his 75-year-old father with a machete.
The suspect claimed that his deceased father had sold all the land he owned, including the one he had given the suspect to build his house. The police commissioner said the suspect used this as justification for his actions.
In addition to the kidnapping case, the police also rescued a man from a mob who were preparing to set him on fire on March 8.
The man had allegedly been using Point of Sale (POS) machines to defraud innocent citizens. Several of the man’s victims had already identified him, and N350,000 was recovered from him at the time of arrest.
In his closing remarks, Ayilara said “Let me assure Akwa Ibom people that the police will collaborate with stakeholders in harnessing available resources to ensure that the state continues to remain the most peaceful,”