By Tom Moses

ITU-MBAK ITAM in Itu Local Government Area, Akwa-Ibom State, has precipitously emerged as one of the wanton growing lair of gangsters in the state.

The street ragamuffins who operate mostly in the late hours of the day were understood to have taken delight in snatching the bags of their eventual victims and unsuspecting passersby at the Mbak-Itam Road Junction and dispossessing them of valuables.

From bag-snatching to full-blown robbery

Niger Delta Voice investigations revealed that for any particular evening or night that may not have been too rewarding to the “Boys” as they are often referred to, they would carry out full-blown robbery operations along the Mbak Junction and sometimes, carry out house-to-house robbery.

One of the leaders of Mbak community, Elder Ubong Akpan Essien, however expressed doubt that the notorious gang members were natives of Mbak, saying that if they were, the people would have been able to identify and give the police information on their escapades.

Negative toll

Elder Akpan told Niger Delta Voice that the activities of the criminal elements have impacted negatively on the social and economic lives of the people of the communities, adding that in spite of efforts by the police to stem the tide of criminal activities, along the Mbak Road Junction, records of nefarious activities were becoming unbearable.

Aside from Mbak, Urua Ekpa Road, Ikot-Obio Atai in the same Itu Local Government Area is reportedly harbouring invidious characters that make life difficult for people.

Residents beg security agents

Mrs. Comfort Effanga, who lives in the area, complained outright armed-robbery operations that last for many hours and implored the police and other security outfits to keep close watch on the area, especially in the late hours, which she said the hoodlums used to operate.

Akwa-Ibom State Police Public Relations Officer, PPRO, Mr. Peter Iboro, said he would not completely rule out the possibility of one or two criminal cases in the mentioned areas, but said if such could happen, it would not be on large and rampant levels because of the heavy presence of security operatives in the area.

According to him, “the Mbak Road Junction is always effectively covered by the police on a-24 hour basis.”

He urged residents of the areas to report promptly any case of suspected or obvious criminality in their domain at the nearest police station for prompt action.