The Akwa Ibom State Police Command has arrested a 23-year-old man, Mfon Essien, allegedly found in possession of a loaded locally made shotgun in Ikot Ekpene Local Government Area of the state.

Essien, from Ikot Inyang Itak Village in Ikono Local Government Area, was arrested along Ayah Road, off Uyo Road, Ikot Ekpene, on Sunday, September 6, 2026, following credible intelligence received by police operatives.

The Police Public Relations Officer, Timfon John, disclosed the arrest in a statement issued on Monday.

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According to the statement, a search of the suspect led to the recovery of a locally made shotgun loaded with a live cartridge.

The police alleged that the firearm had been concealed under Essien’s clothing at the time of his arrest.

The command described the arrest as a major breakthrough in its ongoing efforts to curb the proliferation of illegal firearms and prevent violent crimes across Akwa Ibom State.

The suspect is currently in police custody as investigators work to determine the source of the firearm, why he was carrying it and whether he has links to other individuals or criminal groups involved in the illegal movement or use of firearms.

The State Commissioner of Police, Baba Mohammed Azare, said the command would continue its efforts to remove illegal weapons from the streets and prevent violent crimes.

“We will continue our efforts to remove illegal weapons from the streets and prevent violent crimes. Those involved in the illegal possession and circulation of firearms should desist because we will continue to use intelligence-led operations, patrols and other lawful measures against them,” Azare stated.

The commissioner also urged residents to remain vigilant and provide credible information about suspicious persons, illegal weapons and criminal activities.

He assured members of the public that the identities of informants would be kept confidential.

“The Police Command remains committed to protecting lives and property and maintaining peace across Akwa Ibom State,” he added.

Crack police operatives at the Special Fraud Unit (SFU), Ikoyi, Lagos have commenced multiple investigations into massive fraud committed against the Nigerian government in the oil and gas industry running into billions of dollars.

The unit started beaming the searchlight on the monumental fraud following complaints from concerned Nigerians, including intelligence networks which are said to have begun to unearth what might be the biggest scam in Nigeria’s oil and gas industry.

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It was learned that in one of the cases, the investigation was started through a petition written by an anti-corruption group alleging massive padding of a contract with a sum exceeding $90 million dollars. This, according to sources, caused a lot of discomfort for certain persons who have done everything possible to frustrate the investigation, including writing petitions against the commissioner of police in charge of the unit and his men.

Reliable sources revealed that because of the refusal of the team handling the matter to take bribes from a major participant in the crime, he has resorted to blackmailing the unit before the Police Service Commission (PSC), resulting to the invitation of the commissioner of police in charge of the unit to the commission’s headquarters in Abuja to explain what the unit under him is investigating.

According to sources, the Non-Governmental Organization (NGO) (name withheld) is furious about this move and has threatened to petition the National Assembly and the American Senate if there is any attempt at scuttling the investigation as the companies involved in this fraud have their roots in the USA.

Informed sources confirmed that the NGO has threatened a showdown with the PSC, stating that its mandate does not allow it to interfere with the operational duties of the police. The rights group advised the commission to focus on their duties of promotion and disciplinary measures for misbehavior by erring officers.

The NGO, it was gathered, believes that it is high time the police were allowed to perform their duties without unnecessary interference. The rights group reportedly stated: “This cannot happen in America. If they dare interfere, we promise to take it to where the commission or anybody else cannot summon any police officer to answer any question.”

It was reliably gathered that the NGO firmly believes that these interferences are responsible for the unfortunate situation where the police have no respect for criminals. The NGO is said to be watching for any further interference on the matter by the commission, insisting they will ensure the matter is investigated to its logical conclusion.

Another matter said to be under investigation by the SFU is a $617 million dollar fraud involving an indigenous oil company. According to our sources, a certain project aimed at boosting crude oil production was awarded to the oil company in 2018. In the same year, an expansion contract for the same project was awarded to the same company even as the original project execution had not commenced.

The shocking revelation coming out of the investigation, according to our sources, is that even the project vendors are companies owned by the prime promoter of the indigenous oil company who contrived the project expansion contract and the company to take this money as part of Cash Call and was allegedly shared amongst the conniving officials and the company. The same company is said to be producing and under-declaring the amount of crude produced, thus effectively stealing from the government.

In the same vein, it was said that another investigation regarding crude oil theft worth over $3 billion is in the offing at the SFU. Our sources could not immediately provide details of the extent of that investigation.

According to sources, there are a whole lot of issues that have been brought to the fraud unit since the assumption of office by CP Eloho Edwin Okpoziakpo because of his pedigree.

However, officers that spoke to reporters said the unit remains the star of the police in economic and financial crimes investigations. They declared that the Inspector General of Police, IGP Tunji Disu, did not make a mistake in the deployment of a star investigator to head the unit and the results are becoming visible.

They challenged reporters to visit the unit and see the efforts the CP has put in place at progressing the unit to another different level; a determined, people friendly, thorough and proactive and intelligence driven unit.

The IGP and the CP could not be reached for comments on the investigations but sources said the unit got official nods from authorities in Abuja to carry out their investigations in the most effective and result-oriented manner based on the stern directives of the IGP, who was said to have cautioned officers not to sweep fraud and criminal cases underground no matter the temptation by those involved.

Almost 40 suspected oil thieves have paid for their illegal acts with their lives at the Okari Jetty, Okirika Local Government Area, Rivers State.

It was gathered that they were choked to death in the early hours of Thursday, after inhaling substance from the stolen crude they were loading into their boats.

According to community sources, many other individuals involved in the illicit act were yet to be traced, even as the incident has left the entire local government area devastated.

The storyline has it that the incident occurred when a vessel anchored at a jetty along the riverside to load a petroleum product for export, and over 200 persons mostly youths from neighbouring communities stormed the jetty with locally made boats to illegally load from a tapped point.

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Reliable sources aver that while the loading was going on the pungent odour of the product saturated the air and choked the victims.

The source added that many of the criminals collapsed into the river and those who managed to escape the scene, left with serious respiratory challenges for which they are being treated at an undisclosed hospital in Port Harcourt.

Confirming the incident, Executive Director, Youths and Environmental Advocacy Centre (YEAC-Nigeria), Dr. Fyneface Dumnamene Fyneface, said its network of youth volunteers and human rights defenders in the Okrika Local Government Area reported that no fewer than 37 had been confirmed dead after inhaling “Indorama fuel”.

Dr. Fyneface, in a statement in Port Harcourt, said the victims had connected a pipe to a tapping point on a pipeline that normally transported product from Indorama Eleme Petrochemical through the Port Harcourt Refinery to vessels that usually came every two weeks to load for export.

He said: “According to the report, no fewer than 37 persons suspected to be oil thieves died after inhaling what is locally called ‘Indorama Fuel’. Many others are still missing. The incident occurred during the illegal loading of the product into a ship at a tapping point.

“The incident is said to have occurred at about 12:00am on Thursday, September 3, 2026, at the Okari Jetty, Okrika Mainland area.

“The report further stated that while a vessel was loading the product and the men were simultaneously loading into their waiting boats from the illegal tapping point, they inhaled the product being pumped at high pressure. This led to the death of not fewer than 37 persons. Many are still missing, and some corpses have been seen floating on the river but have not yet been recovered”.

He called on the National Oil Spill Detection and Response Agency (NOSDRA) to carry out a Joint Investigation Visit (JIV) to the site of this incident.

He requested the companies that owned the vandalised facilities to provide adequate security on their pipelines to prevent a recurrence of the ugly incident.

He said: “The Advocacy Centre condemns this act of sabotage by the youths and warns them to stay away from oil and gas infrastructure due to the high pressure and associated dangers.

“While calling for investigation into the incident, the Advocacy Centre also calls on the government to provide alternative livelihood opportunities, including the canvassed modular refineries and the legalization of artisanal refining.

“This can be achieved through the establishment of YEAC-Nigeria’s proposed Presidential Artisanal Crude Oil Refining Development Initiative (PACORDI) as well as the proposed Niger Delta Industrial Park to provide alternative opportunities for displaced artisanal refiners in the Niger Delta.”

Though, locals in the Okari jetty told newsmen that the number of casualties in the incident could be over 43, but the confirmed number is 37 as at the time of filing the report.

Police spokesperson in Rivers State, ASP Agabe Blessing Karbalo, who confirmed the incident, said the victims were allegedly attempting to steal crude oil.

She said that while no official complaint has been lodged with the command, it has commenced an investigation.

She said, “The suspects reportedly died in the process of attempting to steal crude oil. However, no official complaint has been received in connection with the incident at this time.

“Investigation is ongoing to establish the circumstances surrounding the incident and ascertain the facts.”