The Akwa Ibom State Police Command has dismantled a three-man armed robbery syndicate believed to be behind a spate of violent robberies across Uyo metropolis.
Command Public Relations Officer, DSP Timfon John, in a statement on Tuesday, said the breakthrough followed a detailed investigation and an intelligence-led operation.
According to the police spokesperson, the operation was triggered after a 32-year-old woman reported that she was attacked on 12 August while on a morning walk along Believers Assembly Road, by Udo Udoma Avenue.
She narrated that two armed men on a black motorcycle accosted her, threatened her with a locally-made pistol, and dispossessed her of an iPhone 12 Pro valued at ₦650,000.
DSP John disclosed, “Further investigation revealed that this same criminal syndicate had robbed at least five other citizens on the same date and was responsible for multiple armed robberies during early morning hours in the city.”
The police arrested Ubong Michael Patrick, a 27-year-old from Ikpa Ibiono community, Ibiono Ibom LGA, who confessed to the crimes during interrogation. His confession led to the arrest of two other members of the gang: Ibrahim Kanu, 20, from Gorore community in Adamawa State, and Nazipi Dahiru, 25, from Gombe State. Both men reside in the “Nasarawa” area of Itam, Itu LGA.
Items recovered from the gang include: A black operational motorcycle, One locally-made pistol, a long dagger knife.
DSP John further explained that preliminary investigations revealed the gang specialised in robbing early-morning commuters and sending stolen mobile phones to Kano State, where they were packaged and sold to unsuspecting buyers.
She confirmed that efforts are ongoing to track and recover the stolen items.
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