Police Smash Drug-Peddling Gang In C’River

The Cross River State Police Command has smashed a drug-peddling gang in Calabar.
The State Commissioner of Police, Sikiru Akande who was said to have led the team to smash the syndicate, said they took the suspected drug peddlers by surprise and it took place at the popular Watt Market in Calabar.
At the end of the operation, 14 suspects were arrested with various illicit substances suspected to be hard drugs.
The state Police Command Public Relations Officer, DSP Irene Ugbo, confirmed the raid and according to her, “the CP followed some of our men to arrest some boys where they were selling some drugs in a hideout at Watt Market.
“Fourteen of them were arrested with drugs” and some of the suspects paraded recently by the command were arrested in connection with illicit drugs.
Meanwhile, unspecified numbers of hoodlums were shot dead, while others sustained bullet wounds.
Some were said to have been arrested when the state security outfit, Operation Akpakwu, ambushed suspected arm robbers in Akpabuyo area of Cross River State
It was gathered that Operation Akpakwu ambushed the hoodlums after persistent armed robbery incidents, kidnappings and other crime- related operations in Akpabuyo in the area.
It was further learnt that the hoodlums for the past few weeks had made life in the local government unbearable. They inflicted injuries, destroyed property and killed innocent people.
In a chat, the head of Operation Akpakwu, Henry Okokon, who is the State Security Adviser to Governor Ayade, condemned the actions of the hoodlums.
He said, “I told you last time that I am going to swing into action, and I went there on Friday and saw them, it is not cult-related.
“They are just armed robbers, numbering between 18 and 20. They blocked the roads every evening from 7.30pm and started robbing, shooting sporadically, robbing motorcycles, and shooting directly at residents.
“We have to ambush them, many of them have been arrested while others, during fire exchange with security agencies, have lost their lives.
“The incident occurred at Ikot Ene Edem, we urge all communities to have vigilante team, the security operative, Operation Akpakwu will assist them,” he stated.

By: Friday Nwagbara, Calabar