August 27, (THEWILL) — The Akwa Ibom State Police Command says it has intensified its clampdown on criminal activities with the arrest of suspected cultists and members of a vandalism gang in separate operations across the state.
In a statement on Tuesday, the Command’s spokesperson, DSP Timfon John, said operatives on Monday, August 25, 2025, arrested two suspected cultists while investigating a case of theft in Ikpe Usung Ita, Obot Akara Local Government Area.
The suspects, identified as Emmanuel Udo Ukut, 41, and Marshall Asuquo John, 42, were apprehended during a targeted operation to recover stolen phones.
Items recovered from them included a single-barrelled gun, three live cartridges, one expanded cartridge, a black beret with cult insignia, a black hood suspected to be used as a facemask, a black belt, three mobile phones, and a nylon bag containing a substance suspected to be gunpowder.
The suspects are currently in custody as investigations continue.
In a related development, a joint operation involving the police, military, and local vigilantes foiled an attempted vandalism of an electricity transformer at Ikot Idim village, Ika Local Government Area, in the early hours of Sunday, August 24.
Two suspects—Collins Ekwelu Ekene, 37, from Orlu, Imo State, and Elijah Edet John, 36, from Obot Idem village in Ibesikpo Asutan LGA but resident in Rivers State—were arrested while attempting to dismantle the transformer.
According to the Command, credible intelligence had indicated that a gang specializing in vandalizing government and private property planned to invade the state.
Acting on the tip-off, security operatives laid an ambush at the site, leading to the arrest of the suspects, while three others escaped into a nearby bush.
