A suspected kidnap kingpin and leader of alleged killers’ group from Ikot Akpa Idem in Ukanafun local government area of Akwa Ibom State is said to have been arrested.
The suspect is believed to be leading the group that has been terrorising Ukanafun and its environs.
He was said to have been nabbed by members of the Joint Task Force in the state.
A close source in the area told Straightnews that the suspect, a 26-year-old Item Peter Ebehe, was alleged to have been arrested Tuesday during a meeting of his group in Ikot Andem village in Ukanafun.
The group is claimed to have kidnapped many, killed, maimed and raped women in the area now deserted due to their deadly operations.
Also on Tuesday, the blood-thirsty group suspected to have returned from operations in another village mowed down two in Ikot Akpa Idem.
“Luck ran out of them when the security operatives acting on a tip-off stormed their den, others fled but the arrow-head of the criminals was picked,” the source confided in Straightnews.
Meanwhile, the whereabouts of Ufot John Mendie, an indigene of Ikot Akpa Idem said to be kidnapped last week is still unknown.
His kidnappers have not contacted the family of the victim since then.
It is feared that the abductee might have been slain by the dreaded group as a reprisal for the arrest of their leader said to be in the custody of JTF in the state.
In another development, unconfirmed reports have it that some suspected, dreaded kidnap and robbery big shots in Etim Ekpo and Ukanafun are said to be cooling their feet in the custody of JTF.
The second in-command to the slain Akaninyene Jumbo also known as Iso Akpafid, bearing Stainless, from Etim Ekpo, was allegedly apprehended some weeks ago in Port Harcourt, though some people admit that he hails from Oruk Anam.
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Those said to be arrested too were Aboy Poy from Ebon Obot in Etim Ekpo and Nokia from Nkek in Ukanafun.
Efforts to speak with the Army Spokesman in the state to confirm the arrests have proved abortive.
DSP Odiko O. MacDon, the Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO) in a telephone interview with Straightnews said he wanted to verify the story and would get back.
He is yet to reach Straightnews as at the time of going to press.
