Police Arrests Man for Threatening Neighbour with Gun in Cross River

The Cross River State Police Command has arrested a 32-year-old man, identified as Akan Constant, for alleged unlawful possession of a firearm and recovered a locally made gun and two live cartridges in Alok Community, Ikom Local Government Area of the state.
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The suspect was reportedly arrested following a complaint by a community leader on October 26, 2026, alleging that he had threatened to kill his neighbour during a disagreement.

The police said the suspect allegedly brought out a firearm during the dispute but fled with the weapon when confronted over his action.

In a statement issued on Monday, the Police Public Relations Officer of the command, ASP Eitokpah Sunday, said operatives of the Ikom Police Division mobilised to the community following the report and arrested the suspect.

The statement read, “The Cross River State Police Command has arrested a suspect for alleged unlawful possession of a firearm and recovered a locally made gun alongside two live cartridges in Alok Community, Ikom Local Government Area of the state.

“The arrest followed a report received on 26th October 2026 from a concerned community leader, who reported that one Akan Constant ‘M’, 32, a resident of Alok Community, allegedly brought out a firearm during a disagreement with his neighbour and threatened to kill him. The suspect reportedly fled with the firearm when confronted over his alleged conduct.”

The statement added that the locally made firearm and two live cartridges were recovered during the operation.

According to the police spokesman, the suspect is currently in custody, while the recovered weapon and ammunition have been registered as exhibits.

“The suspect is currently in police custody, while the recovered firearm and ammunition have been registered as exhibits. Investigation is ongoing to establish the full circumstances surrounding the incident and determine the appropriate legal action,” part of the statement read.

The Commissioner of Police in the state, CP Ajo Geoffrey Ordue, reiterated the command’s commitment to tackling illegal possession of firearms and other activities capable of threatening public safety.

Police Arrests

He warned residents against resorting to violence or intimidation in settling personal disagreements, urging them to adopt lawful means of resolving disputes.

The police commissioner also called on members of the public to report suspicious activities and provide credible information about the possession or movement of illegal firearms in their communities.
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Hard Times Await Illegal Miners as EFCC Boss Olukoyede Bags MINILS’ Fellowship Award

The Executive Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, Mr. Ola Olukoyede, has vowed to intensify his crackdown on illegal mining by going after the financiers, mineral buyers, compromised public officials and other collaborators who profit from the illicit exploitation of Nigeria’s mineral resources.
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Olukoyede made this disclosure in Ilorin, Kwara State on Tuesday, November 3, 2026, while delivering a Keynote address at a joint conference on Illegal Mining, Corruption and Climate Implications organised by the Michael Imoudu National Institute for Labour Studies MINILS, Ilorin, in partnership with the Human and Environmental Development Agenda, HEDA. Beyond the address, the EFCC’s boss was honoured with the Fellowship of the Institute

Speaking on the theme, “Uprooting the Roots of Resource Theft: A Zero-Tolerance Approach to Mining Corruption and Increasing Insecurity in Nigeria,” the anti graft czar observed that despite Nigeria’s abundant mineral resources, including gold, lithium, tin, lead, zinc and other valuable minerals, the country was yet to maximise their economic benefits due to corruption, illegal exploitation and insecurity. He stressed that mineral wealth could only become a national blessing when properly managed and protected from criminal exploitation.

He explained that illegal mining was not merely the handiwork of individuals operating mining pits but involved sophisticated networks of local and international financiers, buyers, compromised officials, transporters and beneficiaries of illicit proceeds. He therefore advocated an enforcement strategy that goes beyond arresting miners to identifying and dismantling the financial networks behind the criminal enterprise. “A serious enforcement strategy must move from the pit to the purse,” he declared, adding that the EFCC would continue to follow the money, investigate financiers and facilitators, trace illicit proceeds and prosecute offenders based on evidence.

Giving an account of the Commission’s efforts, Olukoyede disclosed that between October 2023 and July 2026, the EFCC recorded 52 illegal-mining cases within its specialised enforcement portfolio, resulting in investigations, prosecutions and convictions. He also revealed that the Commission secured the forfeiture of 102 tonnes of solid minerals. He emphasised that illegal mining was not just an economic crime but could fuel extortion, smuggling, violence and other forms of criminality, thereby worsening insecurity in affected communities.

The EFCC Chairman further called for stronger collaboration among mining regulators, law enforcement agencies, financial intelligence institutions, customs authorities, revenue agencies and host communities. He maintained that effective information sharing, joint intelligence and coordinated operations were essential to identifying the financiers and ultimate beneficiaries of illegal mining. He also urged organised labour, traditional institutions, civil society and the media to support efforts aimed at promoting transparency, decent work and accountability in the extractive sector.

Ola Olukoyede

Earlier, the Director-General of MINILS and Chief Host, Comrade Issa Aremu commended the EFCC under Olukoyede’s leadership for its efforts in curbing illegal activities and promoting accountability in the country. He also underscored the importance of the conference in advancing labour education and addressing contemporary challenges confronting workers and the environment.

In his remarks, the Chairman of HEDA Resource Centre, Mr. Olanrewaju Suraju, described illegal mining, corruption and climate degradation as interconnected challenges requiring collective action. He stressed that organised labour must be central to Nigeria’s transition to clean energy to ensure that workers are not left behind.

He explained that the three-day engagement was designed to equip labour leaders with advocacy, skills development and collective bargaining tools, while promoting a joint action plan for monitoring suspicious mining activities and a Green Accountability Campaign.

The high point of the event was the conferment of a Fellowship Award on the EFCC Chairman by MINILS in recognition of his contributions to the fight against corruption and related economic crimes.

Umo Eno Urges 4,000 New Public Servants to Justify Recruitment Through Excellent Service

Akwa Ibom State Governor, Pastor Umo Eno, has explained that the recruitment of 4,000 new public servants was aimed at filling identified vacancies and strengthening the state’s public service, rather than unnecessarily increasing its workforce.
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…Commends Tinubu for funding support to states, charges new employees on excellence and digital skills.

Governor Eno made this clarification on Tuesday, November 3, 2026, during the orientation exercise organised for the newly recruited workers at the Ibom Tropicana Event Centre, Uyo.

The Governor recalled that shortly after assuming office, his administration conducted a staff verification exercise which uncovered more than 2,000 ghost workers, alongside several retired personnel who were still on the state’s payroll.
He explained that after blocking the financial leakages and identifying vacancies within the system, the government decided to recruit qualified personnel to fill the gaps and improve service delivery.
According to him, the recruitment was driven by the need to strengthen the public service and make it more efficient.
“There was a huge vacancy gap in the service, so we are not recruiting to bloat the service but to strengthen and make the public service more efficient for excellent work output.

“Governance is serious business, and to be undertaken by serious-minded people. So, the recruitment was done out of utmost exigency and available vacancies to strengthen the system to function effectively. They are fit for purpose,” he said.
Governor Eno reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to the prompt payment of workers’ salaries and gratuities, while commending President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for making funds available to state governments to support project execution and the payment of salaries and other entitlements.

He urged the newly employed workers to demonstrate commitment, professionalism, discipline and excellence in the discharge of their responsibilities.
The Governor also emphasised the importance of digital skills, innovation and respectful working relationships with senior officers, noting that the state government was working towards the full digitalisation of public services.
He challenged the new employees to introduce fresh ideas that would improve government operations and enhance service delivery to the people.

“As our children, the reason we sent you to school was for you to come back with new and better ideas to transform the way we do things in the system. We expect this crop of civil servants to be the brightest and the best that we have ever had.
“We expect you to be committed to your work; be passionate; be transparent in the execution of your responsibilities,” he said.
On digital transformation, Eno stated that the government expected the new workforce to embrace technology and become digitally proficient to accelerate administrative processes.

Umo Eno

“We are in the process of full digitalisation of our services. So, we expect you to do everything to be digitally compliant, to enable your work move faster so that we can together serve our people better.
“Do well to keep this job; do well to do the job you asked for; and do well to excel for the best of our state and yourselves,” he added.
Earlier, the Head of Service, Mrs Elsie Peters, commended Governor Eno for his visionary leadership, which she said had positively transformed the state public service.

She expressed confidence in the quality of the newly recruited workforce, noting that the orientation and training provided by the state government would help revitalise the service and position it for greater achievements.
Speaking on behalf of the 4,000 newly employed workers, Miss Etoroabasi Enobong presented a special message of appreciation and a gift to the Governor, describing him as a father and a leader of inestimable value.

Those present at the event included the Chief of Staff, Mr Aniefiok Johnson; members of the State Executive Council; political leaders; government officials and other dignitaries.
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