The Akwa Ibom State Police Command has recovered suspected stolen goods and vandalized transformer cables after suspected criminals abandoned their vehicle and fled during a late-night police operation.
The operation, carried out on May 12, 2026, followed credible intelligence about a suspicious vehicle allegedly moving around under questionable circumstances within the state.
Police operatives swiftly mobilised to the area, but on sighting the approaching patrol team, the suspects reportedly abandoned the vehicle and escaped into nearby bushes.
Security operatives launched a hot pursuit, but the suspects managed to flee due to the darkness and difficult terrain.
A search conducted on the abandoned dark green Ford bus with registration number SMK 438 XA Lagos led to the recovery of several suspected stolen items.
Recovered exhibits included 40 pieces of 25-litre containers filled with red oil believed to have been stolen from a shop, three coils of transformer copper wire suspected to have been vandalized from electricity transformers, as well as cutters, spanners, and other tools allegedly used for vandalism operations.
Preliminary investigations revealed that the recovered items were allegedly stolen from locations within Nsit Ibom Local Government Area.
The owner of the stolen red oil, identified simply as Mr. Sunday, later arrived at the police station and identified the recovered items after reportedly trailing the suspects following the burglary of his shop.
The police said the exhibits had been secured while efforts were ongoing to arrest the fleeing suspects and conclude investigations into the incident.
The command reaffirmed its commitment to tackling criminal activities across the state and urged residents to continue providing timely information to aid crime prevention and detection.
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