The Cross River State Police command has paraded one of its personnel, Nathaniel Manasseh, a police Inspector for alleged gun running.
The command also paraded 29-yr-old suspects, Akaniyene Inyang Umoh, for alleged arson and participating in the burning down of Ini Police headquarters in Akwa Ibom. Umoh was arrested by the police detectives in Cross River after he fled from Ini.
Also paraded by the police are twenty three other suspected criminals picked by the police for various offences ranging from murder, illegal possession of firearms, armed robbery, and cultism.
Speaking while parading the suspects at the state police headquarters in Diamond Hill, Calabar, the Cross River State Commissioner of Police, Sikiru Akande, urged residents of the state to assist the police with useful information that could aid in the arrest of criminals.
He said: “Cross River is regaining its lost glory in the area of security. As a matter of fact, we remain the most peaceful state in Nigeria and nothing can break out our resolve. Our achievement, today is not unconnected with corporation enjoyed from well meaningful citizens, critical security stakeholders and corporate bodies that meet regularly to reevaluate our performance so far and the need for improvement that has led to what you are seeing today.”
“I want to equivocally state clear that for the police to function effectively and efficiently in any developed society requires citizen’s participation, collaborative partnership and willingness of the community to constantly equip the police with useful information that can forestall unpleasant occurrence,” he said.
Akande revealed that amongst those apprehended include an Inspector of Police, who usually gives out their riffles on “rent” to notorious criminals and is a member of a gun running syndicate.
Items recovered includes one unregistered Sports Utility Vehicle from some criminals said to be one of the vehicles stolen around the Cross River Basin Authority during the #End SARS protest.