Akwa Ibom Police Arraign 5 Over Fake School Girls’ Kidnap Report

The Akwa Ibom State Police Command has announced that five suspects have been formally charged to court in connection with the fabrication and dissemination of a false kidnapping report involving students of Oron Secondary School in the state.

Dependable NG reports that the Commissioner of Police in Akwa Ibom, CP Baba Mohammed Azare, disclosed this key development during a high-level strategic security meeting with youth presidents and youth leaders drawn from all 31 local government areas of the state, held at the command headquarters, Ikot Akpanabia.

The Commissioner stressed that such false alarms are capable of inciting widespread panic and severely undermining public confidence in the security system. He assured the public that the command will continue to take decisive action against anyone who spreads misinformation or attempts to destabilize the peace of the state.

He called on all youth leaders to champion truth, promote responsible social media use, and actively counter false narratives capable of disrupting public order. He also urged them to foster stronger collaboration with Divisional Police Officers (DPOs) to ensure the early detection of threats and the swift resolution of emerging issues.

CP Azare also issued a stern warning against jungle justice, describing the act as unlawful, barbaric, and likely to trigger widespread violence. He emphasized that no individual or group has the right to take the law into their own hands. He warned that anyone found participating in mob action shall be arrested and prosecuted, and urged youths to always hand over suspects to the police for proper investigation and lawful prosecution.

Regarding the state government’s recent ban on hostile masquerade activities, CP Azare confirmed that enforcement has commenced. Masquerades’ activities are now strictly confined to village or town hall squares, and any necessity for activities outside these areas requires formal clearance from the office of the Police Commissioner.

In response, the youth leaders and community representatives unanimously appreciated the Commissioner of Police for his strong leadership, commitment to peace and order, and maintenance of tight security in the state, while pledging their total readiness to support the police in improving security. The representative of content creators also promised to cooperate with the command and refrain from engaging in crime or causing problems in the name of content creation.