April 24, (THEWILL) — The Akwa Ibom State Police Command says it has recorded a major breakthrough in its crackdown on violent crime, arresting a wanted kidnap kingpin and recovering suspected human remains and weapons in Mkpat Enin Local Government Area.
The suspect, identified as 30-year-old Ubong Michael, popularly known as “Ubong Boy”, was apprehended on April 22, 2026, following a targeted intelligence operation in Ikot Aka Village.
Police said the suspect had been on the Command’s watchlist for his alleged involvement in multiple high-profile kidnapping cases and had been hiding in Port Harcourt before secretly returning to the community and acting on credible intelligence, operatives moved swiftly to effect his arrest.
A search conducted at the point of arrest uncovered disturbing items, including a human skull believed to be that of a victim, a human bone, two live cartridges, and a dagger—raising fresh concerns about the brutality of kidnapping operations in the area.
Preliminary investigations link the suspect to several abductions, including the kidnapping of one Gabriel in 2023 and another victim, John, in 2025.
Police sources disclosed that the suspect has confessed to his role in the crimes and is currently providing useful information to investigators, which is expected to aid efforts to track down other members of the syndicate and recover additional weapons.
Commending the operation, the Commissioner of Police in the state, Baba Mohammed Azare, praised the intelligence-led approach of the operatives and reaffirmed the Command’s resolve to dismantle criminal networks.
He also issued a strong warning to criminal elements, stressing that Akwa Ibom will remain hostile to unlawful activities even as he urged residents to stay vigilant and support security agencies with timely information as efforts intensify to ensure the safety of lives and property across the state.
