In a significant breakthrough, law enforcement officials in Akwa Ibom State have apprehended three individuals suspected of kidnapping and successfully disrupted a human trafficking scheme within the Ibesikpo Asutan Local Government Area.
DSP Timfon John, the police-command-denies-sealing-pdp-secretariat/” title=”FCT … command denies sealing PDP Secretariat”>police command’s public relations officer, revealed in a statement dated Tuesday, September 16, 2025, that the arrests followed actionable intelligence received by the authorities.
The investigation uncovered that the mastermind of the trafficking ring, operating out of Burkina Faso, had dispatched his brother-in-law to facilitate the movement of several girls from Uyo to the West African nation. Upon arrival in Uyo, the brother-in-law was taken to a hotel by the suspects, where he was confined against his will.
The captors demanded a ransom of four million naira (N4,000,000) and subjected the man to brutal physical abuse when he failed to meet their financial demands.
On the night of September 12, 2025, at around 10:30 PM, police officers acting on the tip-off arrested three suspects linked to the kidnapping and trafficking operation. The victim, whose identity remains confidential, hails from Igbanki Village in Oriong Local Government Area, Edo State. He was reportedly instructed by his brother-in-law, the alleged trafficking ring leader, to transport the girls from Uyo to Burkina Faso.
Upon reaching Uyo, the victim was escorted by the girls in a mini-bus driven by one of the suspects to a hotel located in Nung Oku, Ibesikpo Asutan. Once inside, the victim was locked in a room by the girls and their accomplices, who then demanded the ransom.
When the victim could not pay the full amount, the kidnappers assaulted him severely, confiscated his ATM card, coerced him into revealing his PIN, and withdrew 111,000 naira from his account. They also forced him to contact his brother-in-law abroad to send the remaining ransom.
Prompt police action led to the arrest of three suspects: Iniobong David (45), Edikan Samuel (23), and Joseph Jonah Akpan (27). Other members of the gang escaped upon the arrival of the police.
A thorough search of the hotel room uncovered a handbag containing multiple items, including an international passport, a national ID card, a voter’s card, six ATM cards all registered to Utuk Unyime Justine, a University of Uyo Town Campus Annex gate pass, three basic mobile phones, two smartphones, two power banks, and a mini-bus with registration number KTE 867 XA.
The detained suspects are currently in custody and cooperating with investigators to unravel the full extent of the trafficking network. Efforts continue to track down the remaining fugitives.
This successful operation highlights the unwavering dedication of the Akwa Ibom State Police Command in tackling human trafficking and dismantling organized criminal enterprises.
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