Police Crack Down On Scrap Yard Crime, Arrest Three In Akwa Ibom
By Dennis Udoma, Uyo
The Akwa Ibom State Police Command has arrested three suspects in a major crackdown on stolen property, following the dismantling of a suspected stolen vehicle and the theft of workshop tools in Uyo.
Acting on the directive of the Commissioner of Police, CP Baba Mohammed Azare, operatives raided scrap yards across the state capital on Wednesday, 13th, August, 2025.
At about 4:30 p.m., officers swooped on a scrap yard in Mechanic Village, Abak Road, where they caught one suspect, Uzoma Uche, in the act of dismembering a Peugeot 404 pick-up van without identifiable particulars. Police say the circumstances strongly suggest the vehicle was stolen.
In a follow-up raid, two others, 29 year-old Alhassan Haliru and 30 year old Aminu Zailai were arrested at another scrap yard while attempting to sell a brand-new set of spanners. Interrogation revealed the tools had been stolen from a local shop.
It would be recalled that, the theft of so-called “scrap” items has become rampant in Uyo, with scavengers defacing public infrastructure, including aluminum and iron safety frames, drainage slabs, and roofing sheets on public buildings.
Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Timfon John, confirmed that investigations are underway and assured that the suspects will face prosecution once the probe is concluded.