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Police in A’Ibom arrest and detain fake EFCC agents amid alleged kidnapping
He noted that attempts to make his associate to come to a round table discussions failed hence he resorted to getting EFCC vest from an online vendor to give to his syndicate who posed as officials to arrest the man and to force him to bring 150Mllion Naira as ransom.
Four fictitious Economic Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) agents who allegedly tried to kidnap their target have been taken into custody by the Akwa Ibom State Police Command.
The accused had planned to kidnap their victim (name withheld) and demand a ransom of N150 million, according to Police Commissioner Waheed Ayilara, who paraded them alongside other suspects yesterday.
Ayilara said the suspects include: Emmanuel Augustine Akpayak ‘m’ aged 27, Echem Ovurizichi Weneka ‘m’ aged 27, Promise Udofia ‘m’ aged 28, and Jeremiah Johnson Okon ‘m’ 38.
He said the principal suspect, Emmanuel Akpayak masterminded the kidnap of the would-be-victim whom he owe over 12 Million Naira as he tried to extort money from him and subsequently kill him to evade repayment of the debt.
According to him, “Investigation revealed that Emmaneul 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 vest were recovered. Information at hand indicates that the suspect transacted 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.”
In an interview with the principal suspect, Emmanuel Akpayak, he claimed that the intending victim was his bussiness associate whom he owe some money but he, (victim) hired ” boys” that were issuing threats to him(suspects).
He noted that attempts to make his associate to come to a round table discussions failed hence he resorted to getting EFCC vest from an online vendor to give to his syndicate who posed as officials to arrest the man and to force him to bring 150Mllion Naira as ransom.
The Commissioner also paraded suspected advance fee fraudsters who have been swindling POS operators in Uyo metropolis and suburbs.
The statement in parts, “On 21/06/2024 at about 7:00pm, 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 withdrawal of N10,000 and while she made the withdrawal to the suspects, one of the suspect 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 to give out the POS machine to the suspect’s to type in the account number and before she could realize.
“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 CP 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 arrest of the said Loveth Nkwakwo in Abia State saying that suspects confessed to crime and promised to help arrest other fleeing members in their syndicate even as he explained that victim was rescued with others.
Ayilara noted that all suspects would be charged to court at the end of investigations and urged the people of Akwa Ibom to always avail 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 said he shall leave no stone unturn in ensuring security and peace in the state.
