Police arrest over 30 suspects for murder, others

The Cross River State Police Command has arrested 11 murder suspects and 20 others for various crimes committed across the state.

Austin Agbolanhor, the State Commissioner of Police, who paraded the suspects before journalists on Tuesday in Calabar, the state capital said the command was committed to contain all criminal elements in the state.

He explained that the achievements were recorded due to the committed efforts of officers and men of the command in curbing all cases of criminality across the state.

According to him, on February 16, one Ayuk Ogar was shot dead in Etung Local Government Area during an alleged peace meeting between members of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the All Progressive Congress (APC).

He said the police swung into action and arrested three suspects in connection with the murder, adding that the suspects have been charged to court.

“Also, on February 25, one Eworo Collins who is a known cultist and has been disturbing one Grace Gbaka for friendship in Ogoja Local Government Area, decided to convey the said Gbaka and her friend from a burial venue to their houses.

“Rather, the corpses of the two girls were seen by the road side along Bansara junction in Ogoja. Collins was later arrested alongside a second suspects, Moses Egbodor and they will be charged to court soon.

“In the same vein, on March 7, one Imani Odey in Calabar wrote a petition to the Commissioner of Police that led men from the Anti Cultism/Kidnapping Squad to Jalingo, Taraba State where two suspects were arrested for murder.

“Our men swung into action and went to Jalingo to arrest the suspects. We recovered a Lexus 300 jeep with Registration No. ABC 280 LX, the ignition key and two damaged padlocks. The suspects will be charged to court soon.

“While on Feb. 2, we also arrested another four murder suspects at Edor village in Ikom Local Government Area for allegedly beating to death one Bright Effiong who was on her way to the farm,’’ Agbolanhor said.

The CP also paraded 10 suspects for armed robbery, two for defilement, two for unlawful possession of firearms, one for child theft and five for promoting communal crisis.

He assured residents in the state that the police have the capacity to deal with any miscreant or group of persons that may want to take laws into their hands or dare to harass, intimidate and instill fears in the minds of the people.

He, however, sue for cooperation, support and understanding from members of the public in the area of useful information sharing to the police to help them respond to crime, crisis and emergency cases promptly.