A civil society organisation, the Centre for Human Rights and Accountability Network, has commended the Department of State Service for preventing major kidnappings in Akwa Ibom during the Eid El-Kabir festivities.
The centre, in a press release signed by its Director and Secretary, Otuekong Isong and Christopher Ekpo, respectively, on Monday, referred to the success of the DSS, including smashing a sea pirate gang linked to the November 2024 kidnap of two Chinese nationals and a Nigerian staff of MarkSino quarry in Cross River State.
During the attack, the kidnappers reportedly shot dead a police inspector attached to the workers and carted away his AK-47 rifle.
The CHRAN described the arrest by DSS as a breakthrough in the crackdown on criminals terrorising the state and the South-South zone.
“The arrest of the four gang leaders, who were also reportedly linked to the kidnap of big business owners and prominent traditional rulers in Uyo, Eket, and Oron axis as well as other neighbouring states in the South-South, for some time, highlights the resolve of the DSS to secure Nigerians through its sustained covert operations,” the statement read.
The centre also noted that, during a covert operation at the weekend, the DSS arrested four suspected commanders of the gang with two AK-47 rifles and six fully loaded magazines at their hideout in Oron Local Government Area of the state.
It quoted the security sources as saying that the gang members intended to kidnap top politicians who attended the formal defection ceremony of Governor Umo Eno of Akwa Ibom State from the Peoples Democratic Party to the All Progressives Congress.
“The history of the operations of this notorious gang primarily involved targeting high-ranking expatriate staff of oil companies, high net-worth business owners, and prominent traditional rulers across the South-South geo-political Zone,” the statement read.
Commending the DSS for the feat and other strides in Akwa Ibom State, CHRAN urged the agency not to relent in executing such covert operations to reduce the protracted menace of sea piracy, kidnapping and other high-profile crimes in the country.
