By Praise Afolabi
The Akwa Ibom State Police Command says it has made another breakthrough in its clampdown on cultism and armed robbery, with the arrest of a suspect and recovery of additional weapons in Etinan Local Government Area.
Police spokesperson DSP Timfon John confirmed in a statement on Thursday that operatives stormed Ikot Ekop/Ataifa community at about 4:00 a.m. on September 3, 2025, following fresh intelligence linked to an ongoing investigation.
During the operation, officers recovered a single-barrel rifle, four live cartridges, and five expended cartridges. One suspect, identified as Bassey Dennis Bassey, was taken into custody at Ataifa Village.
The development comes barely a week after the command recovered a locally made pistol on August 27 during the early phase of the probe into criminal conspiracy, cultism, armed robbery, and unlawful possession of firearms.
“The operation underscores the command’s commitment to safeguarding lives and property in Akwa Ibom,” the statement read, adding that efforts are underway to track down other suspects connected to the syndicate and to recover more weapons.
The police urged residents to remain vigilant and continue providing useful information to security agencies to help combat rising cult-related violence in parts of the state.
