Four fake EFCC officers in police soup in Akwa Ibom
… Abducted and collect a ransom of One Hundred and Fifty Million Naira from their victim
ABy Christopher Tom, Uyo
kwa Ibom State Police C⁸ommand has arrested four suspected faked Economic Financial Crimes Commission's officers while planning to abduct and collect a ransom of One Hundred and Fifty Million Naira (N150Million) from their victim are in Police soup name (withheld).
Parading the suspects alongside other suspects at the command headquarters in Ikot Akpanabia, Uyo, Akwa Ibom State capital on Monday, the Commissioner of Police, CP Waheed Ayilara said the principal suspect, Emmanuel Akpayak masterminded the kidnap of the would be victim whom he owed over 12 Million Naira as he tried to extort money from him and subsequently kill him to evade repayment of his debt.
He listed the suspects to include one Emmanuel Augustine Akpayak ‘m’ aged 27yrs, Echem Ovurizichi Weneka ‘m’ aged 27yrs, Promise Udofia ‘m’ aged 28yrs and Jeremiah Johnson Okon ‘m’ 38yrs.
According to the Commissioner of police the, "Investigation revealed that Emmaneul Augustine Akpayak had arranged for the kidnap and killing of the would-be victim by engaging men on arms and procuring EFCC vest/uniform for the Operation.
"Victim was invited and a search was conducted at the principal suspect’s house where four pairs of EFCC vest were recovered. Information at hand indicates that the suspect transacted business of selling cars with the would-be victim and owed the victim about Twelve Million Naira (N12,000,000.00), inorder to evade the repayment of debt, the suspect hired armed men to kidnap, extort the sum of One Hundred and Fifty Million Naira (N150,000,000.00) and also kill the victim thereafter but the Operation was foiled. Suspects will have their day in court."
In an interview with the principal suspect, Emmanuel Akpayak, he claimed that the intending victim was his bussiness associate whom he owe some money but hired " boys" that were issuing threats to him.
He noted that attempts to make his associate to come to a round table discussions failed hence he resorted to getting EFCC vest from an online vendor to give to his syndicate who posed as officials to arrest the man and force him to bring 150Mllion Naira as he alleged that the would be victim is rich and into internet fraud.
The Commissioner also paraded suspected advance fee fraudsters who have been swindling POS operators in Uyo.
"On 21/06/2024 at about 7:00pm, one Glory Uko Okon ‘f’ of Afaha Ikot Obio Nkan Village, Ibesikpo Asutan LGA, called in through the emergency hotline and alleged that one Donald Ita Nyong ‘m’, Rex Clement Uso ‘m’ and one Kingsley Mathias Joekim POS syndicates came to her POS stand at Udo Udoma Avenue Uyo, pretended to make withdrawal of N10,000 and while she made the withdrawal to the suspects, one of the suspect gave her N3,200 to deposit into an opay account which she tried three times and the transaction was unsuccessful, the suspects mounted pressure on her which made her to give out the POS machine to the suspect's to type in the account number and before she could realize.
"The suspects had withdrawn the sum of N320,000.00 from her machine and quickly jumped into their waiting car and zoomed off. Suspects were arrested, they all made useful statements and have confess\ed to the crime."
The police boss also paraded child trafficking syndicates saying that the command acting on intelligence arrested one Michael Emmanuel Edet ‘m’, Ability Henry Tom ‘f’ and one Uwem udoh Moses ‘f’ from their hideouts within Ibesikpo and Aka Etinan road for stealing a child (name withheld) 'm' 12yrs while he was hawking groundnut along Oron road and was taken to Ovum Community in Obingwa L.G.A Abia State
He said the child was sold out for the sum of Four Hundred Thousand Naira (N400,000) to one Loveth Nkwankwo ‘f’ of Ovum Community, Obingwa L.G.A.
He added that further investigation led to arrest of the said Loveth Nkwakwo in Abia State saying that suspects confessed to crime and promised to help arrest other fleeing members in their syndicate even as he disclosed that victim was rescued and with others.
Ayilara noted that all suspects would be charged to court at the end of investigations and urged the people of Akwa Ibom to always avail Police with useful information that would help in the eradication of crime and criminal elements in the State.
While thanking governor Umo Eno for his massive support to police and the Commissioner said said he shall leave no stone unturn in ensuring security and peace in the state.
Christopher Tom, Uyo
Yiaga Africa tasks AKISIEC on October L.G election experience free and fair election in the state.
A Non Governmental Organisation (NGO) Yiaga Africa committed to electoral reforms in Africa has charged Akwa Ibom State Independent Electoral Commission (AKISIEC ) on free and fair elections ahead of October council polls in the state .
Speaking during a courtesy visit to the Chairman of Akwa Ibom State Independent Electoral Commission (AKISIEC) Elder Aniedi Ikoiwak at the weekend, the Director of Yiaga Africa Samson Itodo said the electoral umpire must conduct local government elections that pass integrity test .
Itodo disclosed that there are more work to be done to strengthen independence of State Electoral Commissions across Nigeria .
"Much work needs to be done to strengthen the independence of the State Electoral Commissions ( SIECS). Congratulations on the passage of the amended electoral Law. This Law despite some of the gaps that still exists, at least, to an extent gives the commission sort of latitude to conduct credible local government election.
He said Yiaga Africa have received electoral guidelines for AKwa Ibom state local government elections and urged the electoral umpire to adhere to the provisions .
"We have also received the guidelines , the time table and notice for your local government election in October. It is to say that Akwa Ibom State is demonstrating some level of leadership compared to other states where we don't know whether local government election would hold.
"At least for Akwa Ibom State we are delighted that a date has been fixed for elections. As you know Chairman and commissioners (AKISIEC), it is one thing to fix a date for election, and it is another thing to conduct elections that meets the integrity test.
He kicked against the clamour to scrap State Electoral Commissions across the country adding such agitation is not part of the call for local government autonomy .
"If you look across the country there is a clamour for scrapping of State Independent Electoral Commissions because local government elections have been a charade and a mockery of our entire democratic system. And all that is driven by several factors.
"State Independent Electoral Commissions (SIECS) are not Independent,whether operational or financial independence. And this is an issue we have discussed consistently about how do we strengthen the independence of the SIECS. Of course there are issues around capacity, but for us at YIAGA Africa our position is that we are completely opposed to the scrapping of State Independent Electoral Commissions, because we believe strongly that it is a deviation from the entire discuss on Local government autonomy."
He noted that there are challenges with the Constitution and charged the National Assembly to examine the constitutional gaps which empowers governors to dissolve democratically elected local government officials.
"It is important for the National Assembly to look at the gaps in our constitution that makes it possible for governors to unilaterally and arbitrarily dissolve democratically elected local government councils, or that gives governors the leeway to withhold funding from State Independent Electoral Commissions, because when you don't have funding to conduct elections, it is one way to actually manipulate elections."
"Our advocacy is to continue to urge state assemblies to urge the governors to provide the funding that is required for State Independent Election Commissions to conduct election. Election gives the citizens the opportunity to determine and make decisions at the local level because democracy ought to be felt at the local level. So there's great need to do that, and we hope that the resources have been made available to you and the Commission to conduct election that meets the integrity test."
Responding, the chairman of Akwa Ibom state Electoral Commission Elder Aniedi Ikoiwak assured the Organisation of their integrity and capacity to conduct free and fair elections in the the state .
" We have the experience, capacity and finances available for us to conduct credible elections in the local government in Akwa Ibom . " He said
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