The Akwa Ibom State Police Command has successfully rescued five siblings who were abducted in Ikot Idim village, Obio Ibiono, in Ibiono Ibom Local Government Area. The abductor was also apprehended during the operation, according to the state’s Commissioner of Police, Joseph Eribo, who briefed journalists on Tuesday at the command headquarters in Uyo.

The incident occurred on November 14 when a distressed mother reported to the police that her five children had been taken by an unknown man riding a motorcycle. Acting promptly, police operatives, supported by local villagers from Mbiakpan Ikot Idim and Obio Ibiono, launched a rescue mission.

“The suspect was pursued and arrested at Obio Ibiono,” Eribo disclosed. “The five children were rescued unharmed and reunited with their parents. The motorcycle used for the crime was also recovered.”

In another operation, police operatives thwarted an attempted kidnapping along the Ikot Ekpene/Uyo Highway on November 27. A woman raised the alarm when armed men tried to abduct her husband. Responding swiftly, officers engaged the suspects in a shootout.

“One suspect was neutralized during the gunfire, while others fled the scene on a motorcycle,” Eribo revealed. Recovered items included a cut-to-size AK-47 rifle, four rounds of ammunition, an empty shell, a bag containing suspected charms, and a business card linked to an individual.

In a separate development, the police uncovered a clandestine gun-making operation based on intelligence reports. The raid led to the arrest of a suspected gunrunner, while other family members involved in the business fled. Recovered items included seven single-barrel guns, five double-barrel guns, a steel double-trigger pistol, and additional equipment used for fabricating firearms.

“This factory supplied firearms to criminals,” Eribo explained. “We are pursuing the remaining suspects, and all recovered items are now in police custody.”

The Commissioner assured Akwa Ibom residents that the police remain committed to safeguarding lives and property. He emphasized that all suspects would be charged to court upon the conclusion of investigations and reaffirmed the command’s resolve to intensify the fight against crime.