The police in Akwa Ibom State have arrested one Mfon Essien, a 23-year-old man of Ikot Inyang Itak Village, Ikono Local Government Area, with a loaded locally made shotgun along Ayah Road, off Uyo Road, Ikot Ekpene.
Disclosing this in a press release on Monday, September 7, 2026, DSP Timfon John, the State Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), said the breakthrough results from its sustained efforts to curb the proliferation of illegal firearms and prevent violent crime across the state.
According to DSP John, on September 6, 2026, at about 12:30 p.m., operatives of the Command, acting on credible intelligence, intercepted the said Mfon Essien, and upon a search conducted on the suspect, operatives recovered one locally made shotgun loaded with a live cartridge, which was carefully concealed in his clothing.
She said the suspect was immediately arrested, while the recovered firearm and ammunition were secured as exhibits.
The suspect was taken into police custody for thorough interrogation and investigation “to establish the source of the firearm, the purpose for which it was being carried, and whether the suspect has any connection with other persons or criminal networks involved in the acquisition, movement, or use of illegal firearms.”
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Reacting to the development, the Commissioner of Police, Akwa Ibom State Command, CP Baba Mohammed Azare, fsi, reaffirmed the Command’s resolve to relentlessly pursue individuals involved in the unlawful possession and circulation of firearms across the State.
The CP warned that the Command will continue to deploy intelligence-led policing, targeted operations, patrols, and other lawful crime-prevention measures to ensure that illegal weapons are taken off the streets before they are used to perpetrate violent crimes.
He further urged members of the public to remain vigilant and continue to provide the police with timely and credible information concerning suspicious persons, illegal firearms, and other criminal activities, assuring that the identities of informants will be treated with utmost confidentiality.
“The Akwa Ibom State Police Command remains resolute in its commitment to safeguarding lives and property and sustaining the prevailing peace and security across the state,” the PPRO said.
