Okon Bassey in Uyo
Operatives of the Akwa Ibom State Police Command have arrested three suspected members of the notorious Vikings Confraternity in Uyo, the state capital.
In a coordinated intelligence-led operation, the arrest was achieved during a raid on a residential building off Abak Road, Uyo, identified as a hideout for cult-related activities and illicit drug abuse.
Dick Udofia, Emem Charles, and Ubong Matthew were apprehended, and substances suspected to be Ice (Methamphetamine), cannabis commonly referred to as Indian hemp, and other items linked to drug consumption were recovered.
All three suspects admitted membership in the Vikings Confraternity, with one of the suspects, Ubong Matthew, allegedly forcefully initiated into the cult group on July 5, 2026.
The suspects, who are students of a certain polytechnic (name withheld), are currently assisting the police with useful information to apprehend the fleeing suspects.
In a separate operation, operatives of the Command arrested one Joshua Akpan, a 32-year-old security guard employed by a private security company.
The arrest followed intelligence linking the suspect to a syndicate specialising in vandalising and stealing armoured electrical cables and other electrical installations from churches, residential buildings, factories, and government facilities.
A search conducted at the suspect’s residence led to the recovery of cut-to-size armoured cables, bundles of vandalized electrical wires, pliers, an iron-cutting blade, a hammer, and other tools suspected to have been used in committing the crimes.
During interrogation, the suspect confessed to vandalising and stealing electrical cables from a Catholic Cathedral where he had been employed as a security guard.
Police investigations are ongoing to arrest other members of the criminal syndicate still at large and recover additional stolen property.
The Commissioner of Police, Akwa Ibom State Command, Baba Mohammed Azare, commended the professionalism, vigilance, and swift response of the operatives involved in both operations.
He reiterated that the Command remains resolute in dismantling criminal networks, combating cultism and drug-related crimes, and safeguarding public infrastructure across the state.
The commissioner warned individuals involved in cultism, drug trafficking, vandalism, and other criminal enterprises to desist or face the full weight of the law, stressing that the Command will continue to deploy intelligence-driven policing strategies to identify, arrest, and prosecute offenders.
He further called on residents of Akwa Ibom State to remain vigilant and continue partnering with the police by providing timely and credible information.
The Command assured the public that every useful piece of information would be treated with utmost confidentiality and acted upon promptly to ensure a safer and more secure Akwa Ibom State.
