Police Arrest Kidnappers of Akwa Ibom Lawyer and His Niece

The Akwa Ibom State Police Command has apprehended two members of the gang responsible for the kidnapping of Emmanuel Ubengama, a Director at the Ministry of Justice, and his niece.

Ubengama, a lawyer, and his niece were abducted on December 4, 2024, along the Abak-Ikot-Abasi road. Police operatives tracked down the kidnappers’ hideout, where the victims were found bound inside a specially constructed soakaway facility. The victims were rescued after a confrontation that led to the deaths of three suspects.

State Commissioner of Police, CP Baba Azare, shared these details during his first press briefing at the command’s headquarters in Uyo on Monday, January 13, 2025.

“A distress call was received that a Director with the Ministry of Justice, Akwa Ibom State, and his niece (name withheld) were kidnapped by five armed men,” the CP stated.

“Our operatives in the Command immediately swung into action and busted the kidnappers’ den in a thick forest located within Ikot Ukpong Village, Abak Local Government.

“A thorough search was conducted within the forest, and the victims were rescued unharmed from an abandoned soak-away. The victim’s car was also recovered by the police along Etinan Road where it had been abandoned.

“Also, the Toyota Sienna vehicle used to kidnap the victims was also recovered while 2 of the suspects were neutralized. Further Investigation led to the arrest of one Ability Etim Samuel ‘m’ (aged 45 years) and one David Vincent Samuel ‘m’ (aged 36 years).

“They are currently being investigated and their leading will lead to making more arrests of their gang members and weapons recovery.”