By: Theresa Donatus.
The Akwa Ibom State Police Command has arrested a suspected security impersonator and recovered a cache of security uniforms, official accoutrements, and other sensitive items during a routine stop-and-search operation in Uyo.
In a statement signed by the Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Timfon John, on behalf of the Commissioner of Police, Akwa Ibom State Command and made available to our correspondent in Uyo, stated that the suspect, identified as Precious Joseph, an indigene of Nembe Local Government Area of Bayelsa State residing in Ikot Ekpene Local Government Area of Akwa Ibom State, was apprehended on Sunday, July 5, 2026, at about 2:30 p.m. along Atiku Abubakar Way, Uyo.
According to a statement issued on Tuesday by the Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Timfon John, the suspect was intercepted while riding a Top Way motorcycle without a registration number during a routine police operation.
The statement said Joseph identified himself as a Police Inspector and presented a Police Warrant Card bearing the name “Inspector Daniel.” However, inconsistencies in his responses and conduct aroused the suspicion of the operatives, prompting a more detailed search.
During the search, officers recovered another official identity card belonging to the Nigerian Correctional Service, further raising suspicion that the suspect had been fraudulently parading himself as a security operative.
Following the discovery, detectives accompanied the suspect to his residence in Ikot Ekpene, where they executed a search warrant. The operation led to the recovery of several security-related items, including a police beret, police buttons and insignia, Inspector rank badges, Police Mobile Force (PMF) uniforms, a military camouflage sweater, a lawyer’s wig, two pairs of desert boots, and other security accoutrements suspected to have been used in furtherance of impersonation and other unlawful activities.
The Police Command disclosed that the suspect remains in custody and is undergoing intensive interrogation as investigators seek to determine the source of the recovered items, establish the full scope of his activities, identify possible accomplices, and ascertain whether he is connected to other criminal offences within or outside Akwa Ibom State.
Reacting to the development, the Commissioner of Police, Akwa Ibom State Command, reiterated the Command’s commitment to rooting out criminal elements, particularly individuals who exploit the identities of security agencies to commit crimes, deceive members of the public, or tarnish the image of the nation’s security institutions.
The Commissioner also warned members of the public against the unlawful purchase, possession, or use of security uniforms, identity cards, insignia, and other restricted security items, stressing that such offences attract severe legal consequences.
He further urged residents to remain vigilant and promptly report suspicious persons, activities, or individuals falsely presenting themselves as security personnel to the nearest police station, emphasizing that public cooperation remains vital in sustaining security across the state.
