Kehinde Fajobi
Operatives of the Akwa Ibom State Police Command have arrested Okon Asuquo Etteokpo, the village head of Utit Antai, along with 12 others, for their alleged involvement in the gruesome kidnapping and beheading of three marine hunters.
According to police reports, the suspects abducted the hunters, beheaded them, and buried the remains in a shallow grave deep in a forest.
The Akwa Ibom State Commissioner of Police, Joseph Eribo, confirmed the arrests during a press briefing in Uyo, explaining that the operation was the result of intelligence that led authorities to the victims’ burial site.
“The remains were discovered in shallow graves, confirming the brutal nature of the crime,” Eribo said. He revealed that the arrests were made on September 5, 2024, following a tip-off that directed police to pursue a notorious group of sea pirates who had been terrorizing local waterways.
The suspects, including the village head, were apprehended in a forest between the villages of Efiat and Unyenge. Among those arrested were Jephtar Inwang, Clement Emmanuel, Promise Nkerobia, Anthony Atte, Nkereuwem Edet, and Joseph Asuquo. Police suspect that the village chief played a pivotal role by providing spiritual support to the criminal gang.
During the operation, police recovered 15 live cartridges and arrested additional suspects for illegal possession of firearms, including Ukpono Etim Effiong, who was found with a homemade shotgun. Other individuals, Samuel Bassey Young and Faith Richard Peter, were detained after being found with a Beretta pistol and suspected narcotics during a routine stop.
Commissioner Eribo commended his officers for their efforts in maintaining peace in the state and pledged to reward those who excel in their duties while ensuring accountability for any misconduct.