The Stolen Phones
The Akwa Ibom State Police Command has arrested a suspected receiver and distributor of stolen mobile phones, identified as Musa Idris, in a renewed crackdown on robbery-linked criminal networks operating within and outside the state.
The suspect was apprehended along the Calabar–Itu Road axis following credible intelligence gathered by operatives of the Command.
According to the Commissioner of Police, Baba Azare, the arrest led to the recovery of 34 Android phones and two button phones, all believed to be proceeds of armed robbery activities.
Azare disclosed that investigations revealed the suspect had previously been arrested in October 2025 for similar offences, during which over 200 suspected stolen mobile phones were recovered from him.
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He further explained that preliminary findings suggest the recovered devices are linked to a wider robbery syndicate involved in the movement and resale of stolen phones across state lines and possibly beyond Nigeria’s borders.
“The suspect has made useful confessions, and efforts are ongoing to track down other members of the criminal network,” the Commissioner stated.
Beyond the arrest, the police command also confirmed ongoing statewide enforcement targeting vehicles with missing or defaced registration plates, as part of broader measures to strengthen security and curb criminal activities.
The Command reiterated its commitment to intensifying intelligence-led policing and dismantling criminal syndicates operating in the state.
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