In its relentless efforts to rid Akwa Ibom State of crime, the Police Command has successfully dismantled an illegal firearms fabrication factory and apprehended two suspects in Itam Village in Itu Local Government Area.
In a press release by DSP Timfon John, the Police Public Relations Officer, Akwa Ibom State Command, on Tuesday, October 28, 2025, it said the action was a targeted intelligence-led operation in the state.
DSP John said, “Credible intelligence had earlier indicated that Aniekan Aniedi, a 39-year-old man resident of Itam Village, Itu Local Government Area, was actively engaged in the production of locally fabricated and illegal firearms, which were being supplied to armed robbers and cultists in the region.”
According to her, Operatives of the Command stormed the factory on Thursday, October 24, 2025, at around 18:57 hours, which led to the arrest of the primary suspect, Aniekan Aniedi, and a second individual, Ubong Udofia, a 35-year-old man, believed to be an accomplice in the illegal enterprise.
The PPRO said a comprehensive search of the illicit factory yielded a significant cache of weapons, tools, and materials used in the manufacturing process.
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The recovered items include: Three (3) fabricated locally made guns; Five (5) pieces of metal pipes; Two (2) iron rods, Assorted copper wires; and Two (2) flat metals designed for fabricating gun butts.
She said equipment central to the illegal production line was also seized as evidence, which includes: One (1) Welding Machine; One (1) Mini Electric Screwdriver and One (1) Electric Filing Machine.
The police, she assured, have mounted an intensive investigation to uncover the full extent of the suspects’ network, identify their clients, and get possible links of their operations to other criminal activities, adding that the suspects will be charged in court upon the conclusion of the investigation.
The Commissioner of Police, Akwa Ibom State Command, CP Baba Mohammad Azare, commended the operatives for their swift and effective action, stating that the operation is a significant blow to the illicit arms supply chain fuelling violence and criminality in our state.
CP Azare urged members of the public to continue to provide timely and credible information on suspicious activities within their communities, assuring that all information will be treated with the utmost confidentiality.
