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By Ike Uche
CALABAR—Four suspects were, Monday, arrested by operatives of Cross State Police Command for unlawful possession of 4,555 national identity cards, just as 21 others, who committed various offences, were also arrested.

PRESIDENT GOODLUCK JONATHAN (L), DISPLAYING A DUMMY OF HIS NATIONAL IDENTITY CARD AT THE LAUNCH OF e-ID CARD IN ABUJA ON THURSDAY (28/8/14). WITH HIM ARE MINISTER OF AGRICULTURE, DR AKINWUMI ADESINA AND BOARD CHAIRMAN, NATIONAL IDENTITY MANAGEMENT COMMISSION, PRINCE UCHE SECONDUS. BJO/NAN –

The state’s Commissioner of Police, Mr. Hafiz Inuwa, who disclosed this in Calabar Tuesday, said the suspects were arrested by personnel of the Police Command in May 19.

He said the suspected identity card thieves were arrested at a location on Eyo-Edem Street in Calabar following a tip-off.

The commissioner explained that after a thorough search on the suspects, 4,555 national identity cards, bearing different names, were found on them.

INEC staff implicated

He said: “Upon interrogation, the four suspects confessed that one Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, staff gave the cards to them.

“All the four suspects confessed to the crime and investigation is ongoing in order to arrest the alleged INEC staff.”

The Commissioner said that the Command also arrested three suspected robbers on May 2, shortly after they allegedly robbed one Solomon Alfred of his N380,000 and three mobile phones.

According to the police boss, “on May 2, our men arrested three suspected robbers who had robbed Solomon Alfred of his N380,000 and his three mobile phones.

“Also, on May 13, our men arrested a student of one of the Federal universities for being in possession of fake currencies.

“During interrogation, the suspect claimed that a friend of his that resides at Uyo gave him the fake currencies.

“Investigation is ongoing to unravel the truth of the matter and arrest his accomplices to ascertain the source/distributor of these fake currencies.”