Operatives of the Akwa Ibom State Police Command have uncovered and dismantled an illegal firearms manufacturing factory in Itam, Itu Local Government Area of the state, arresting two suspected fabricators in the process.
A statement issued on Tuesday by the Command’s Public Relations Officer, DSP Timfon John, identified the suspects as 39-year-old Aniekan Aniedi and his accomplice, Ubong Udofia, aged 35.
They were apprehended on Thursday, October 24, 2025, at about 6:57 p.m. following an intelligence-led operation.
DSP John explained that the arrest was the result of credible intelligence which revealed that Aniedi was actively involved in fabricating and supplying illegal firearms to armed robbers and cultists operating in the region.
She stated, “The Akwa Ibom State Police Command, in its relentless efforts to rid the state of crime, successfully dismantled an illegal firearms fabrication factory and arrested two suspects in a targeted intelligence-led operation.”
Items recovered from the illegal factory included a welding machine, a mini electric screwdriver, and an electric filing machine, which were seized as evidence.
According to the police spokesperson, investigations have been intensified to uncover the suspects’ network, clients, and possible links to other criminal activities.
She added that the duo would be charged to court upon the conclusion of the investigation.
Meanwhile, the Commissioner of Police, CP Baba Mohammad Azare, commended the operatives for their professionalism and swift action, describing the raid as a major breakthrough in curbing the illicit arms trade fueling violence in Akwa Ibom State.
Azare urged residents to continue providing timely and credible information on suspicious activities within their communities, assuring that such reports would be treated with utmost confidentiality.
In a related development, PUNCH Online reported on October 26, 2025, that operatives of the Delta State Police Command arrested a suspected arms dealer, Ahmed Ibrahim, and his female accomplice, Jamila Abubakar, in Warri.
The suspects were linked to illegal arms transactions, and 367 rounds of live ammunition were recovered from their premises during the operation.