The Akwa Ibom State Police Command in its relentless efforts to rid the state of crime, has successfully dismantled an illegal firearms fabrication factory and apprehended two suspects in a targeted intelligence-led operation in the state.
Credible intelligence had earlier indicated that Aniekan Aniedi, a 39-year-old male resident of Itam Village, Itu Local Government Area, was actively engaged in the production of locally fabricated and illegal firearms, which were being supplied to armed robbers and cultists in the region.
A statement from the Police Public Relations Officer DSP Timfon John said Operatives of the Command stormed the factory on Thursday, October 24, 2025, at around 18:57 hours which led to the arrest of the primary suspect, Aniekan Aniedi, and a second individual, Ubong Udofia, a 35-year-old male, believed to be an accomplice in the illegal enterprise.
According to the statement, “A comprehensive search of the illicit factory yielded a significant cache of weapons, tools, and materials used in the manufacturing process. The recovered items include: three (3) fabricated locally made guns; five (5) pieces of metal pipes; two (2) iron rods; assorted copper wires and two (2) flat metals designed for fabricating gun butts.
She further highlighted that the following tools and machinery, central to the illegal production line, were also seized as evidence: welding Machine; mini Electric Screwdriver and Electric Filing Machine.
She added, “An intensive investigation is currently ongoing to uncover the full extent of the suspects’ network, identify their clients, and get possible links of their operations to other criminal activities. The suspects will be charged to court upon the conclusion of the investigation.
“The Commissioner of Police, Akwa Ibom State Command, CP Baba Mohammad Azare fsi,commended the operatives for their swift and effective action.He stated that the operation is a significant blow to the illicit arms supply chain fueling violence and criminality in our state.
She said that CP Azare has urged members of the public to continue to provide timely and credible information on suspicious activities within their communities, assuring that all information will be treated with the utmost confidentiality.
