A 13-year-old Samuel Sunday, a pupil of St. Paul Primary School (SPPS), Ikot Ibiok in Eket local government area of Akwa Ibom state was amongst suspects paraded by the police for sundry crimes at the Command headquarters, Uyo.
Samuel, who was paraded along with his father, Mr. Sunday, was alleged to have been in the habit of wielding a locally made pistol in the school and using same to threaten fellow pupils.
Parading the suspects, the Command’s Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), DSP Timfon John, recalled that “Samuel took the gun from the father’s wardrobe since November 24, 2024, before he was arrested on January 30, 2025.”
According to the PPRO, police operatives acting on credible intelligence, arrested the suspect and his father and recovered the pistol.
DSP John said the police received credible intelligence on January 28, 2025 that the pupil, Samuel Sunday was going with arms in the school, threatening to fire at his fellow pupils.
“The operatives of the Command immediately swung into action and arrested the suspect and recovered a locally made pistol,” the PPRO said.
She added that the suspect confessed under interrogation that he has been with the said gun since November 2024 after taking it from a wardrobe in his father’s bedroom.
“The father was later arrested. Investigation is still ongoing,” she explained.
In the same vein, operatives also paraded one Roseline Maurice and another accomplice, Eno Udoka for conspiracy and stealing a child at Obong Itam Village in Itu LGA in June 2024.
The suspects later sold the victim for the sum of N200,000 to their regular receiver in neighbouring Cross River State.
The suspects were said to have used the money to purchase a refrigerator, television, fan and other valuables which the police added to have been recovered.
The police spokesperson also paraded child trafficking syndicates that specialize in luring young girls into having affairs with men who eventually get them pregnant and sell the babies to their buyers.
“Based on a complaint from two young girls 18 years of age that one woman attempted to traffic them to Cross River State, for them to have affair with men and get pregnant in order to sell the babies and share the money, operatives of the Command swung into action and arrested one Gift Essien Tommy, and Peace Ekanem,” John said.
The Command also paraded a 60-year-old man who defiled a 9-year-old girl in a bush and gave her N200 as consolation fee.
Others paraded were alleged to be involved in various crimes including cultism, armed robbery, vandalisation of public assets and utilities, children theft, drugs peddling and abuse.
Police said all the suspects will be charged to court upon completion of investigations.