The Akwa Ibom State Command of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) has apprehended 8 suspects for different offences ranging from abduction of minor, child labour, and illegal mining in different operations in the State.
The State Commandant, Eluwade Eluyemi, who anchored the parade while briefing newsmen at the State Command Headquarters in Uyo on Thursday, said the arrest of the suspects followed actionable intelligence.
He explained that the Command, on 4th January 2024, received credible intelligence about a 14-year-old boy, Wisdom Aniekpeno Ifiok, who had been declared missing since January 2023.
On receipt of the intelligence, the Commandant deployed the Command tactical squad to an apartment in Ndon Ebom village in Uruan LGA, where the 14-year-old boy, who had been abducted to live and work for one year, was seen.
“My personnel raided the apartment where he was seen and arrested 7 suspects. The minor was taken for one (1) year without the consent of his parents and was used to carry out fishing activities in riverine areas up to the high sea into Cameroon”, Eluyemi revealed.
The State Commandant further disclosed that the key suspect who was the master to the minor, Mr. Otobong Aneitie Udoekong is currently undergoing investigation for criminal conspiracy, abduction of a minor for 1 year, and subjecting the victim to child labour. Other suspects are being profiled to ascertain their level of involvement.
In another operation, the personnel of the Command, on the 5th of January, 2024, arrested one suspect and impounded 2 tipper trucks and a Peugeot car at a Borrow pit site in Ikot Anyang Offot Village, Ekpri Nsukara in Uyo, Local Government Area for engaging in illegal mining activity. The suspect, Mr. Peter Ime Okon, was arrested for carrying out mining activity without a mining license.
Commandant Eluwade, while warning that mining without a licence is illegal, owing to the fact that “illegal miners do not take the environment into consideration and their activities endanger lives and rob Government of revenue”, affirmed that the Corps will not rest on its oars in combating illegal mining in Akwa Ibom State.
He called on Akwa Ibomites and residents to shun all forms of crimes as the long arm of the law will catch up with them when caught.
Meanwhile, the suspects involved in the abduction and child labour will be handed over to the relevant agency after profiling and investigation, while the illegal miner will be charged to court.
