The Cross Rivers Commissioner of Police, Hafiz Inuwa, said police on Monday, June, 5, arrested four suspected thieves for unlawful possession of 4,555 National Identity cards and 21 others who committed various offences in the state.
Inuwa, made this known in Calabar on Tuesday, June 6, when he said the suspects were arrested by personnel of the Police Command in Cross on May 19, News Agency of Nigeria reports.
He said the suspected identity card thieves were arrested at a location on Eyo-Edem street in Calabar following a tip-off.
The commissioner explained that after a thorough search on the suspects, 4,555 National Identity cards bearing different names were found on them.
“Upon interrogation, the four suspects confessed that one Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) staff gave the cards to them.`
”All the four suspects confessed to the crime and investigation is on-going in order to arrest the alleged INEC staff..
“On May 2, our men arrested three suspected armed robbers who had robbed Solomon Alfred of his N380,000 and his three mobile phones,” he said.
He said that the command also arrested three suspected armed robbers on May 2, shortly after they allegedly robbed Solomon Alfred of his N380,000 and three mobile phones.
Also on May 13, our men arrested a student of the University of Calabar for being in possession of fake currencies.
“During interrogation, the suspect claimed that a friend of his that resides at Uyo gave him the fake currencies.
‘’Investigation is on-going to unravel the truth of the matter and arrest his accomplices to ascertain the source/distributor of these fake currencies,” he said.
The police also arrested three suspected manufacturers of firearms on May 19, the commissioner said.
He also said the police recovered five locally made pistols; six locally made single barrel guns, one locally made single barrel long gun, among others.
“During the period under review, the state police command has arrested 25 suspects for various offences.
“We recovered five AK 47 riffles, seven magazines and 200 rounds of 7.62mm live ammunition, one battle axe, eight live cartridges, among others,” he said.
The two firms were allegedly used for the production of forged national identity cards, voters’ registration cards and driver’s licence.
The police arrested seven members of staff and recovered several forged national identity cards, 41 temporary voters’ cards, forged driver’s licence, printing, laminating and cutting machines.