By Chioma Onuegbu, Uyo

The Akwa Ibom State Police Command announced Friday the arrest of a 36-year-old man, identified as Ekwere Obiowo Ernest, in connection with pipeline vandalism.

The arrest took place at the scene of the crime in Ikot Oboron Enyin Village, according to a statement issued on Friday by the Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), DSP Timfon John, and made available to journalists in Uyo.

DSP John explained that the police received a distress call from a Marine Police Officer at approximately 5:05 AM on Friday, May 9, 2025, reporting suspicious activities linked to pipeline vandalism in the village.

“Upon receiving the information, operatives were swiftly dispatched to the location. At the scene, one suspect, Ekwere Obiowo Ernest, was successfully apprehended,” she stated.

John noted that other members of Ernest’s gang managed to escape upon sighting the police, but efforts are ongoing to apprehend them. The suspect, along with recovered items, is currently in police custody for further interrogation.

The PPRO listed the recovered exhibits as follows:

One Fireman FGP 088EG Generator

One Filing Iron

Various types of Spanners

One Filing Machine

One Siemens Germany Tool Box

24 Large Bolts and Nuts

One Package of Welding Electrodes

Two Pairs of Trousers (Joggers)

Two Polo Vests

Four Long Spanners

One Constructed Iron Bar

The police assured the public that investigations are ongoing and that the Akwa Ibom State Command remains committed to clamping down on pipeline vandalism and other criminal activities in the state.