The Akwa Ibom State Police Command has arrested 23 year old man, Daniel Edem Okon for the alleged murder of a commercial motorcyclist in the state.
Parading the suspect alongside other suspects at the command headquarters in Uyo, the Commissioner of Police, CP Waheed Ayilara said the suspect engaged his victim from Idoro road to Mbikpon Ikot Edin for a fee and on getting to a lonely path, hacked him to death.
The Police boss said the suspect later buried his victim in a shallow grave in the area and made away with his motorcycle.
According to the Commissioner, "On 12/7/2024 at about 8:30pm Operatives of the command on routine patrol accosted two suspects one Daniel Edem Okon ‘m’ 23yrs and Samaila Salisu ‘m’ 20yrs on a Motorcycle without Identification Number along Timber Market, Uyo.
After rigorous interrogation, the rider confessed that on 11/7/2024 at about 9:00pm, he paid a commercial cyclist on a ride from Idoro Road to Mbikpon Ikot Edim.
"That on getting to a lonely area, he hacked the rider to death with a matchete. Thereafter, he buried him in a shallow grave and went away with the motorcycle. The decomposed body of the victim later identified as one Saviour Anthony Effiong ‘m’ aged 45yrs has been exhumed and deposited at a Morgue."
The Commissioner also said that the operatives uncovered an armoury in a private mortuary at Ekeya, Okobo, local government area of the state.
He said the operatives stormed the place (mortuary) on intelligence following the arrest of a kidnapping syndicate.
Ayilara said the syndicate led by a wanted kidnapper, one Ubong Effiong Archibong, also known as 'Condiment', was allegedly responsible for the kidnapping and killing of several persons in the state.
The Commissioner listed the firearms recovered from the mortuary to include: Two (2) AK-47 Rifles, Two (2) G3 Rifles, One (1) Double Barrel Rifle, One (1) Single Barrel Rifle, Five (5) Magazines and Seven (7) Live Ammunition.
He said: "Operatives of the Command through credible information and a painstaking investigation recovered firearms and ammunition used by a notorious kidnapping syndicate led by a wanted kidnapper one Ubong Effiong Archibong a.k.a Condiment. The kidnapping syndicate is responsible for the kidnapping and killing of several persons.
"The said firearms were recovered at a private mortuary being used as the armoury at Ekeya, Okobo L.G.A. The firearms are: Two (2) AK-47 Rifles, Two (2) G3 Rifles, One (1) Double Barrel Rifle, One (1) Single Barrel Rifle, Five (5) Magazines and Seven (7) Live Ammunitions."
Ayilara also paraded other suspects who allegedly committed various crimes such as kidnapping, rape, trafficking, and vandalism among others and said that all suspects would be arraigned in court upon completion of investigations.
He, therefore, thanked the people, the state government, and sister security agencies for their collaborative efforts in fighting crime and insecurity and called for more cooperation.
