Friday 11 January 2013

Akwa Ibom Airport Apprehends Criminal Syndicate


The Akwa Ibom State government has reiterated her commitment towards making Akwa Ibom International airport the safest and most equipped in the country.

Commissioner for Special Duties Barr Austin Mbeh disclosed this when he paraded some suspected members of a syndicated that specializes in coordinated theft of airport equipment.

Commissioner Mbeh lamented that it was unfortunate that despite government’s intensified efforts at providing an international airport for the state, miscreants were going around to steal and sabotage the noble intentions of government.


The Special Duties boss said that following incessant reports of pilfering at the airport, the government decided to inject a new strategy in the security system and this paid off with the arrest of members of the gang, maintaining that they will be immediately handed over to the police for appropriate investigation.

The arrested suspects were all staffers of Gitto Construction company, the firm handling the new taxiway of the airport.

They included Bassey Adeyo from Okobo, Bruno Etim from Nsit Atai and Edem Etim Ukana a compactor operator who hails from Uyo.

Bassey Adeyo and Bruno Etim both confessed to involvement in the robbery and explained that the buyers usually come from neighbouring communities following tip off by some dozer operators in the company.

Four Jerry Cans loaded with diesel and the sum of N12,000 were recovered from them

Others indicted and equally handed over to the police were a dozer operator Owoidighe Francis, an indigene of Ikot Abasi, Vincent Sunday George from Akai Ubium inNsit ubium as well as a safety staff Udoudo Nseyen an indigene of Nsit Atai.

The suspects were accused of specializing in organizing the theft of key facilities at the airport. However luck ran out of them when the security personnel at the airport thwarted their effort at pilfering fuel from machines in the airport.

The Managing Director of the Ibom Airport Development Company, Captain Jari William said the airport will improve on her security and appreciated the commissioner for Special Duties for being very responsive to the situation, while the Airport Project Coordinator of Gitto Construction company Mr Ghana Rasbieh vowed to dismiss all staff found culpable in the incident.

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