Friday, September 18, 2026 - A new tenant has absconded with a woman's children in Akwa Ibom State.
The incident reportedly occurred in Etim Ekpo Local
Government Area of the state.
The spokesperson for the command, DSP Timfon John, who
disclosed this in a statement on Thursday, September 17, 2026 said
investigation is ongoing to establish the full circumstances surrounding the
incident, locate the children and apprehend anyone found culpable.
"The Akwa Ibom State Police Command has reacted to a
trending video circulating online in which a woman was reported to have
entrusted her children to a relatively new co-tenant who allegedly absconded
with them before her return," the statement read.
"The incident, which reportedly occurred in Etim Ekpo
Local Government Area of Akwa Ibom State, is currently receiving the attention
of the Police, and investigation has commenced with a view to establishing the
full circumstances surrounding the matter, locating the children and
apprehending any person found culpable.
"Consequently, the Commissioner of Police, Akwa Ibom
State Command, CP Baba Mohammed Azare, fsi, has directed landlords, property
owners and house agents across the State to henceforth exercise greater caution
and carry out reasonable due diligence on prospective tenants before handing
over residential accommodation to them.
"The directive follows concerns that persons with
criminal intentions may secure accommodation, gain the confidence of
unsuspecting co-tenants and subsequently exploit such relationships to
perpetrate crimes, particularly the abduction and trafficking of children.
"The CP has therefore advised landlords and property
agents to ensure that prospective tenants provide verifiable information before
taking possession of any property.
"Such information should, as much as possible, include
valid means of identification, functional telephone numbers, previous
residential addresses, next-of-kin details and credible guarantors or referees.
"Landlords are further advised to maintain proper
records of their tenants and promptly report suspicious conduct, unexplained
movements or activities capable of threatening the safety and security of other
occupants and members of the public.
"The Command warns that any landlord, property agent or
other person who knowingly harbours criminals, conceals the identity or
whereabouts of a suspect, deliberately provides false information to
investigators or otherwise assists an offender to evade arrest will be
investigated and, where sufficient evidence establishes criminal
responsibility, prosecuted in accordance with the law.
"The Commissioner of Police has equally warned content
creators, bloggers and social-media users against rushing sensitive cases of
child abduction, trafficking and other serious crimes to social media without
first liaising with the Police.
"While social media can assist in creating awareness,
the premature release of sensitive information concerning victims, suspects,
locations or ongoing Police operations can equally alert offenders, enable them
to relocate victims, destroy evidence, change their identities or flee from the
reach of law-enforcement agencies.
"The Command therefore urges content creators and
members of the public who come across victims or obtain credible information
concerning child abduction, trafficking or similar offences to immediately
notify the Police, so that appropriate investigative and rescue measures can be
initiated before sensitive details are circulated publicly.
"Henceforth, anyone whose deliberate actions obstruct
an investigation, conceal an offender, compromise the rescue of a victim or
materially assist a suspect to evade justice under the guise of content
creation will be investigated and, where evidence warrants, prosecuted under
the applicable laws.
"Parents and guardians are also strongly advised to
exercise extreme caution when entrusting their children to newly acquainted
neighbours, domestic workers, casual acquaintances or persons whose identities
and backgrounds are not sufficiently known.
"CP Baba Mohammed Azare reassures the people of Akwa
Ibom State that the Command will continue to deploy all lawful resources
available to combat child abduction and trafficking, rescue victims and bring
perpetrators and their collaborators to justice.
"The CP further calls on members of the public with
useful information regarding the whereabouts of the missing children or any
person connected to the incident to promptly contact the nearest Police station
or the Akwa Ibom State Police Command.
“The Command appreciates members of the public for their
continued cooperation and urges everyone to remain vigilant, avoid spreading
unverified information and allow investigators to conduct their work
professionally and without unnecessary interference.
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