Cross River State Police Command has recorded major breakthroughs in its fight against crime with the arrest of suspected members of a burglary syndicate in Calabar and the recovery of a locally fabricated firearm from a suspect in Ikom Local Government Area.

Police said four suspected members of a burglary and stealing gang believed to be responsible for a series of break-ins across the Calabar metropolis were arrested following an intelligence-led operation by operatives of the Uwanse Division.

The suspects were identified as Effiong Ene, 27; Hope Linus, 18; Patrick Etim, 26; and Maurice Asuquo, 27. According to the Command, the operation was launched on June 4 after credible intelligence and sustained surveillance led officers to the arrest of Effiong Ene, described as a notorious burglary suspect.

Investigators said the suspect subsequently led operatives to the hideouts of other gang members, resulting in the recovery of a large cache of suspected stolen property. 

The exhibits include plasma televisions, laptops, decoders, household appliances, refrigerators, gas cylinders, solar equipment, POS machines, clothing items and several tools allegedly used in burglary operations.

Police sources said the suspects are believed to be linked to a gang popularly referred to by residents as the “White Cap Gang,” which has been associated with house break-ins in parts of Calabar South and adjoining communities. 

Authorities, however, said investigations are ongoing to establish the full extent of the group’s activities and apprehend other fleeing members.

The recovered items, which filled several exhibits racks, are believed to have been stolen from homes and business premises across the metropolis. Police have commenced efforts to identify the rightful owners and reunite them with their property.

In a separate operation on the same day, operatives of the Ikom Division arrested one Asu Ebolom, 36, during a routine patrol and surveillance exercise around Atimaka Trailer Park in Ikom. 

A search conducted on the suspect led to the recovery of a locally fabricated pistol concealed in his possession.

The suspect was immediately taken into custody while investigators began efforts to determine the source of the firearm and whether it is linked to any criminal activities within or outside the area.

Commending officers involved in the operations, the Commissioner of Police in Cross River State, CP Rashid B. Afegbua, praised their professionalism, resilience and dedication to duty. 

He reaffirmed the Command’s commitment to intelligence-led policing and the protection of lives and property across the state.

Police Public Relations Officer, ASP Eitokpah Sunday Akata, said investigations have been intensified to trace additional suspects and dismantle any criminal networks connected to the cases. 

He urged residents to remain vigilant and continue providing credible information to assist security agencies in combating crime.

Suspected bandits have attacked a Forward Operating Base (FOB) of the Nigerian Army in Mandaragira, Borno State, killing five soldiers and carting away some major equipment useful to military operations. 

The attack occurred at about 3:00 a.m. on Friday. It also claimed the lives of three members of the Civilian Joint Task Force (CJTF), while those wounded in the crossfire were airlifted by the Air Component Command for medical treatment.

Lieutenant Colonel Haruna M. Sani, Acting Media Information Officer, Headquarters Joint Task Force (North East), Operation HADIN KAI, disclosed this in a statement.

He said troops neutralised scores of insurgents during the attack, adding that troops of the Forward Operating Base (FOB) Mandaragira under 25 Brigade, Sector 2, Operation HADIN KAI, had taken all necessary measures to protect communities and sustain relentless pressure on the insurgents through the deployment of additional troops and critical combat enablers across the North-East theatre.

The statement further revealed that, “Troops remain firmly in control of the FOB and continue to dominate the general area, while exploitation operations are ongoing for consolidation.”

The Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, NSCDC, has dismantled a suspected human trafficking and abduction syndicate in Lagos State, rescuing 24 victims and arresting three suspects during a coordinated operation in the Badagry area of the state.

The operation, carried out by operatives of the Lagos State Command in Badagry West, followed months of intelligence gathering and community-based investigations conducted between January and March.

Speaking while parading the suspects at the NSCDC Badagry Divisional Headquarters in Ibeko on Friday, the Command’s Public Relations Officer, Oluwaseun Abolurin, said investigations led security operatives to an alleged illegal detention facility where victims were reportedly confined and exploited.

Abolurin disclosed that those rescued included citizens of the Republic of Benin and Togo, as well as a Nigerian from Imo State, indicating that the suspected criminal network operated across national borders.

He revealed that some of the victims had been missing for up to three years, while others had disappeared for periods ranging between six and nine months before they were eventually rescued.

The NSCDC spokesman further disclosed that one of the female victims gave birth to a baby girl while in captivity, while two others were found to be pregnant at the time of their rescue.

According to him, many of the victims appeared unable to recall how they ended up at the facility.

“The victims have suffered memory loss to the point that they cannot remember how they got into those confinements,” Abolurin said.

He alleged that the suspects used food substances mixed with unidentified materials to manipulate and control those held in captivity.

Abolurin noted that several families had spent years searching for missing relatives, visiting churches, mosques and traditional worship centres in a desperate bid to locate them, unaware that they were allegedly being held at the illegal camp.

“We have been able to smash this criminal syndicate,” he stated.

While withholding the exact location of the facility for operational reasons, the NSCDC spokesman said investigations were continuing and urged families with missing relatives to contact the Lagos State Command.

He reaffirmed the commitment of the Corps to collaborating with other security agencies and community stakeholders to tackle human trafficking, kidnapping and related crimes.

“We will do everything within our capacity to synergise with relevant stakeholders to ensure that Lagos is not a safe haven for criminals,” Abolurin added.

The operation is regarded as one of the most significant breakthroughs against suspected human trafficking networks in Lagos in recent months and has renewed concerns over the activities of criminal groups operating within border communities.