Akwa Ibom State Police Command says its operatives have raided a criminal hideout in Abak road, Uyo, and arrested three members of the Vikings confraternity among whom was a fresh initiate, Ubong Matthew.

The command said the suspects are all students of a polytechnic in the state.

Public Relations Officer, DSP Timfon John, who disclosed this in a statement in Uyo Monday, said investigations revealed that Ubong Matthew was alleged to have been forcefully initiated into the cult group on July 5, 2026, during a ceremony reportedly masterminded by Dick Udofia at the same location.

She said during the raid, officers recovered substances suspected to be Ice (methamphetamine), cannabis commonly referred to as Indian hemp, and other items linked to drug consumption.

The command spokesperson said in a separate operation, operatives arrested one Joshua Akpan, a 32-year-old security guard employed by a private security company.

The suspect was said to have been involved in vandalizing and stealing armoured electrical cables and other electrical installations from churches, residential buildings, factories and government facilities.

John said upon search of the suspect’s residence, cut-to-size armoured cables, bundles of vandalized electrical wires, pliers, an iron-cutting blade, a hammer and other tools suspected to have been used in committing the crimes were recovered.

She said the suspect confessed to vandalizing and stealing electrical cables from the Catholic Cathedral where he had been employed as a security guard, adding that all suspects would be charged to court upon completion of investigations.

The Commissioner, CP Baba Azare, while commending the operatives for their professionalism, reiterated the command’s commitment to ridding the state of crime and criminality.

Troops of Operation Whirl Stroke, OPWS, have killed a suspected bandit believed to be linked to the attack that resulted in the death of former Secretary to the Government, SSG, of Benue State, Professor David Salifu.

The development was disclosed in a statement issued on Monday by the Acting Media Information Officer of OPWS, Ahmad Zubairu.

Zubairu said the operation was carried out in Jotar village, close to the Quarantine Checkpoint, after security operatives received credible intelligence about the activities of suspected kidnappers in the area.

According to Zubairu, troops deployed at Kyado quickly moved to the location on July 2, 2026, to stop the criminal gang from carrying out its planned operation.

“On arrival at the scene, troops engaged the armed suspects in a fierce gun battle, neutralising one of the terrorists while others fled with suspected gunshot wounds,” he said.

The military said soldiers recovered one AK-47 rifle and two empty magazines from the scene after the exchange of fire.

It added that preliminary investigations suggest the deceased suspect was part of the gang responsible for the attack on motorists along the Wukari–Makurdi highway, during which Prof. Salifu sustained the gunshot injuries that eventually led to his death.

DAILY POST recalls that Prof. Salifu, who served as Secretary to the Benue State Government under former Governor Gabriel Suswam and was also a lecturer at the Federal University, Wukari, died in the early hours of July 3, 2026, at the Benue State University Teaching Hospital, BSUTH, in Makurdi.

He was reportedly travelling from Wukari to Makurdi on July 2, 2026, when suspected kidnappers attacked commuters along the Wukari–Zaki Biam road, a major route connecting Taraba and Benue states.

A close associate of the late professor and the African Democratic Congress, ADC, candidate for Benue South Senatorial District, David Olofu, had earlier said the attackers intercepted Salifu’s vehicle, ordered him out and shot him.

The Chief Press Secretary to Benue State Governor Hyacinth Alia, Tersoo Kula, also confirmed that the former SSG was shot by suspected kidnappers after attempting to escape being abducted.

Following the attack, Salifu was first taken to a hospital in Wukari before he was transferred to BSUTH in Makurdi, where he later succumbed to his injuries.

His passing attracted tributes from Governor Hyacinth Alia, former Governor Gabriel Suswam and several political leaders, who described him as a committed public servant and distinguished academic.

Reacting to the successful operation, the Force Commander of OPWS, Major General Moses Gara, commended the troops for their bravery and professionalism.

He urged security personnel to sustain the offensive against criminal groups operating across Benue, Taraba and Nasarawa states, while encouraging members of the public to continue providing credible intelligence, assuring them that all useful information would be handled confidentially and acted upon without delay.

The has intensified enforcement of traffic and vehicle registration laws across the state, leading to the arrest and prosecution of 24 motorists for various traffic-related offences.

This was contained in a statement signed by the command’s spokesman, SP Lawan Shiisu Adam, and issued to journalists.

The command said the enforcement exercise was aimed at enhancing public safety, strengthening security, and ensuring compliance with existing laws governing the use of motor vehicles on public roads.

According to the statement, the operation targeted motorists using unauthorised coverings on vehicle registration number plates, defaced or obscured number plates, unregistered vehicles, and vehicles displaying manufacturers’ logos or decorative emblems instead of approved registration plates.

The exercise also focused on vehicles fitted with unauthorised tinted glass.

The police noted that such violations hinder effective policing, frustrate crime detection and investigations, and could aid criminal elements in evading identification and prosecution.

The statement disclosed that a total of 24 vehicles found to have violated the relevant traffic and vehicle registration regulations were impounded during the operation.

The offenders were subsequently arraigned before a competent court for prosecution in accordance with the law.

The command emphasised that the enforcement exercise was not intended to inconvenience law-abiding citizens but to promote public safety, enhance security, and ensure strict adherence to traffic regulations.

It therefore urged vehicle owners and motorists to regularise their vehicle documentation, remove unauthorised coverings from number plates, replace defaced registration plates, desist from displaying manufacturers’ logos in place of approved registration numbers, and comply with regulations governing the use of tinted glass.

The police warned that the enforcement exercise would continue across the state and that anyone found violating the regulations would be arrested and prosecuted.

The command also expressed appreciation to residents of Jigawa State for their cooperation and support in maintaining a safe and secure environment.