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The Akwa Ibom State Police Command has confirmed the murder of one Paul Eyo, suspected to be a member of Black Axe Confraternity and the beheading of one “Ekpe” suspected to be a member of Vikings Confraternity, both from Eyo-Abasi, in Mbo Local Government Area of the state.

The Akwa Ibom State Commissioner of Police Joseph Eribo who confirmed this during a press conference at the police headquarters, Ikot Akpan-Abia, Uyo, said police operatives swung into action when the youth leader alerted them of the incident adding that three suspects have been arrested in connection with the crime.

Eribo said some items recovered from the suspects include two face caps with Vikings insignia, 14-inch LG TV, one shovel, camp gas, amplifier, six spring foam, plastic table, plastic chair and four motorcycles.

The statement in part read: “On 16/10/2024, at about 6:35 am, operatives of the command were alerted of the presence of a corpse with mark of violence on it by the youth leader. He alleged that the dead body is Paul Eyo, male, suspected member of Black Axe from Eyo Abasi, who was given machete cuts on his head leading to his death while one Ekpe, male, from Eyo-Abasi, a suspected member of Vikings cult group was also beheaded.

“At about 12:15 pm, based on credible intelligence, received on Abiak Owo Ebughu in Mbo LGA where it was believed the gangsters that killed Paul Eyo earlier that morning came from, Mfon Etim Uzoma, Robert Effiong Etim, and Malachi Williams Ubokulo, were all arrested at a ravine in the village.”

The Commissioner of Police also paraded two suspects who specialised in snatching motorcycles from unsuspecting riders. He said the suspects, Tony Ntuen and Iniobong Johnny, both from Mbierebe Obio, Ibesikpo LGA, would pretend to be passengers and board a motorbike; on reaching a lonely spot, they would claim that they wanted to urinate and use the opportunity to commit the crime with the help of an accomplice who would be on standby in the bush.

They ran out of luck when they snatched one Qlink motorcycle at gunpoint along Obio Ndobo village in Uruan LGA which belonged to one Emmanuel Edem Okon who was said to have put a security tracking device in his motorbike. The bike was later tracked, recovered and the suspects apprehended.

Eribo also paraded a syndicate that allegedly specialised in stealing vehicles and selling to standby buyers who would immediately dismantle them at a mechanic village and sell them as scraps.

“Command received a distress call from one man (name withheld) that his Jenbei Hiase bus was stolen at Akpa Ube Street where he parked it due to a minor fault. The vehicle was traced to a scrap dump at the mechanic village, Afaha Offot, Uyo where the vehicle had been butchered into pieces by the receiver, Ike Chimezie, who is the receiver of the stolen vehicle. He was arrested and he took the operatives to the premise of Matthew Chimezie, who stole the vehicle and sold it to him, ” the statement added.

The Commissioner of Police who said the suspects would be charged in court upon completion of investigations urged the public to avail police of information on suspicious activities in their localities. He pledged the command’s readiness to rid the state of criminal elements and uphold the security and safety of residents of the state.