The Nigeria Police in Cross River State has paraded 21 persons for various heinous crimes, including the attempt to kidnap the State’s Commissioner for Industry, Mr Peter Egba, gun running and several others.
CONVERSEER gathered that the suspects were paraded on Thursday, February 2, 2023, by the Commissioner of Police, CP Sule Balarabe at the Nigeria Police Command Headquarters, Diamond Hills, Calabar, the state capital.
Those paraded for attempting to kidnap the Commissioner for Industry in his house in Calabar, include his former driver, Obi Ayim Joseph; former security guard, Maurice Ibangha; Gideon Luzan Timothy and Asuma Vincent.
One Mr Eyo Etim Bassey who killed and dumped a Lady, Miss Harmony Edemanwan inside the toilet at Akpabuyo Local Government Area of the state was also paraded.
Others paraded include a gun manufacturing syndicate based in Obanliku Local Government Area of the state while caches of arms were recovered.
While briefing journalists, CP Balarabe called on political gladiators in the state to respect the rule of law, shun politics of bitterness and embrace the spirit of sportsmanship.
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According to him, “The outgoing year presented sets of security challenges which at some point evolved to threaten the security order and national cohesion of the state.
“However, the Command’s move against criminals and criminality has remained unhindered, resolute and focused with the arrest of kidnapping syndicates, recovery of arms and ammunition through actionable intelligence, strategic raids and effective deployment around critical infrastructures – mostly INEC facilities amongst others”.
Breaking down the number of those arrested, the CP said 21 suspects were arrested for various offences and exhibits recovered include G3 automatic rifle, AK47, 7 locally made single barrel guns, 3 locally made pistols, and a police walkie-talkie amongst others.
One of the suspects, Eyo Etim Bassey who killed a Lafarge staff, Harmony Edemanwan and dumped in a soakaway, said he never intended to kill his victim.
According to him, “I never intended to kill her, I only sent people to pick her up and threaten her so that I can get my money but she died in the process”.
Meanwhile, those kidnapped earlier this week, Mrs Gertrude Njar, Commissioner for Women Affairs and Kenneth Abang (and his relative), an aide to a federal lawmaker in the state are yet to be freed from their captives.
