The Akwa Ibom State Police Command paraded about four suspects alleged to have kidnapped a retired Permanent Secretary in the state, Mr. Ignatius Brown in Abak Local Government Area.

According to the police statement, Brown, a retired Permanent Secretary, Special Services Department, Governor’s Office, Uyo, was returning from church service at St John’s Pro-Cathedral, Abak when the gunmen swooped on him in front of his compound, located behind Abak Township Stadium in October 2022.

Parading some of the suspects at the Command headquarters in Ikot Akpan Abia Uyo, the Commissioner of Police, Olatoye Durosinmi said the command arrested 126 suspects who allegedly engaged in various crimes including kidnapping, armed robbery, cultism, vandalism, murder and rape in the first quarter of 2023.

According to the Commissioner, the kidnappers of Brown demanded a ransom of N80 million having seen what was in his bank account through his handset.

Durosinmi who warned people to pay detailed attention to security by not going about with the phones that have an alert of their huge savings noted that it was the account balance of their victim that made them peg the ransom to that amount even as he said that police advised the family not to pay a dime to the kidnappers.

The CP stated that the synergy between the police and other sister agencies helped the police to record the feat.

He regretted that the family out of desperation gathered some money and paid the suspects but police operatives were able to trace the kidnapper’s hideout, rescued the victim and arrested some suspects while others were at large and one locally made pistol, three wooden guns were recovered.

Meanwhile, one of the suspects, Sunday Ekwere confessed to having received N850,000 as proceeds from the ransom they collected.

The text in parts, “Sunday Daniel Ekwere ‘m’ of Ibiaka village (d) Emmanuel Mbosowo Friday ‘m’ of Ikot Abasi Akpan village both in Mkpat Enin Local Government Area, who were involved in the kidnapping of Mr. Ignatius Brown of Abak Local Government Area, a former Permanent Secretary, were also arrested. The said Sunday Ekwere confessed to having received 850,000.00 as proceed from the ransom.

“Anietie Okomba Utoh a.k.a Akpakpa ‘m’ of Ikot Obio Utoh village in Mkpat Enin Local Government Area, (f) Ubong Gideon Akpan a.k.a Udo Power ‘m’ of Ekparakwa village in Oruk Anam Local Government Area, were involved in the kidnapping and attempted murder of Godwin Pius Ekarika of Ikot Obio Utok village and Peter Aniefiok Thompson of Ikot Abiaenin village.”

The Commissioner also paraded three suspects for vandalizing and stealing six mast backup batteries belonging to MTN and AIRTEL Communications Companies, valued at 1.6 million naira each.

The suspects, Chinwe Precious Nwabara ‘m,’ Bright Godswill ‘m,’ and Chinedu Divine Nweke ‘m’ who came from Port Harcourt in connivance with an Airtel staff, Tochi, now at large disguised as engineers working on the mast so as to carry out the crime.

The Commissioner explained that the Eagle Response Squad of the Command tracked the batteries to AKTC motor park where the suspects were trying to waybill it to Port Harcourt.

He added that the operatives apprehended the suspects and recovered the exhibits.

“On 21st March 2023, at about 5:00 pm, based on a reliable report, hoodlums on the same date disguised as Engineers, drove with an ash-coloured Toyota Camry with Reg. No. KJA 321 FS, around Uyo, Abak, Oron and Okobo locations, vandalized and stole mast backup batteries belonging to MTN and AIRTEL Communications Companies, valued at 1.6 million naira each.

The Commissioner said the suspects would be charged to court after investigations even as he urged members of the public to be security conscious and avail the police with useful information that would aid them serve the public better.