Police lament lack of cooperation from residents

The residents of Uyo, the capital of Akwa Ibom State, could somehow be blamed for some robbery incidents in the city, the police in the state seemed to be saying.

There have been reports of armed gangs moving from street to street in some areas of Uyo, assaulting and robbing residents, sometimes in daylight.

The police, in a press statement issued on Friday, said they have received reports of such incidents which they said occurred last week in the city.

But the statement signed by the police spokesperson in the state, Odiko MacDon, however, said, “More worrisome is the fact that no one called to inform the Police, thereby allowing the hoodlums to have a field day.”

Mr MacDon, a superintendent of police, listed some hotlines and urged the residents to be vigilant and quick in reporting crimes to the police. 

He said the hotlines would be open 24 hours of every day, but that “the police cannot be everywhere at every time.”

The police said they have arrested some robbery suspects, besides putting in place security measures to check robbery incidents in Uyo.

They gave the names of the suspects as Ubong I. Asuquo, Unwana E. Etim, Saviour U. Oso, Idongesit E. Okon, Sunday E. Edet, all of Mbikpong Ikot Edim and Ikot Udo Ekop in Ibesikpo Asutan Local Government Area.

The suspects have confessed to being members of secret cult groups and being part of the gang responsible for the robberies around Uyo, the police said.